16
Issue 1 2013
Parcels still problematical, says Brussels green paper
The European Commission published a green paper consultation on how best to create an integrated European parcels market, especially with the growth of online shopping, on 29 November. The report forms part of efforts by Brussels to encourage e-Commerce in the Union. It noted the current very fragmented state of the
market in many countries, high prices and poor service in some cases. Cross-border links also leave a lot to be desired, it said, with many companies and consumers reporting problems in getting goods delivered from one EU country to another. Consumers want better
information on delivery options and improved tracking
of international parcels while companies want a better range of delivery services and more flexibility at peak times like Christmas. The report also found strong in
competition and more the more
mature markets between post offices, private express carriers and
specialised
logistics firms including those offering services for specific
products like clothing. New
players are still emerging including operators of parcel delivery/collection points or automatic kiosks, which are to some extent replacing home deliveries and adapting to the demand of e-commerce. With the future direction of
online shopping still unclear, investment choices are hard to make the report adds.
WCO welcomes postmens’ vote on security standards
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) voted to make its security standards mandatory for its 192 member countries at its congress in Qatar on 7-11 November , creating a legal basis for the provision of advance electronic data to Customs and aviation security authorities. The move was welcomed by the World
Customs Organization (WCO), which said it would greatly help efforts to secure air cargo, following the Yemen ‘cartridge bomb’ attempts of 2010. WCO secretary general,
Kunio Mikuriya said the decision clearly demonstrated the UPU’s commitment to a risk management approach,
Cargo incident system gathers pace
Five more companies have joined the Cargo Incident Notification System (CINS), created in late 2010 by five of the top 20 liner shipping operators to capture key data about potentially dangerous incidents. The members have meanwhile been populating the database – hosted by the COA (Container Owners’ Association) – since September 2011 and CINS participants now account for 52% of container slot capacity, says the
organization. CINS adds that the incident
data is beginning to challenge the anecdotal evidence of previous years. One “sobering finding”, is that a third of arose from cargoes
for instance, incidents
loaded, not in the developing world, but in Europe and North America where packing controls might be considered to be more mature.
FPS adds a Philippines network
Famous Pacific Forwarding Philippines – a member of the FPS
network of independent
forwarders and NVOCCs – has launched two-way FCL and LCL services to link the main international ports of Manila and Cebu to key ports throughout the islands. Through services are also available between the Philippines network and many major global ports. Ro ro as well as container
services are available and there are plans to add conventional capacity later. FPS forwarding director Marina Rollan said the new domestic services were in response to strong customer demand for international shipments,
adding: “Very few
international forwarders engage in domestic services, and this brings us a step closer to offering a total integrated logistics service.”
as called for in the WCO’s own Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global trade, adding that he had been worried for some time by the poor quality of information
for customs risk-assessment purposes. The UPU is now developing
a global model for sending advance data to Customs, other border agencies and airlines.
Recession takes its toll on globalisation
The world is less globally connected than it was in 2007, says the second DHL Global Connectedness Index (GCI). The
index, which analyses
international flows of trade, capital, information and people, grew robustly from the report’s baseline year of 2005 to 2007, but then dropped sharply at the onset of the financial crisis. Despite modest gains since 2009, global connectedness has yet to recapture its pre-crisis peak, say the report’s authors. The GCI 2012 is testament to
today’s volatile and uncertain business environment said CEO Deutsche Post DHL, Frank Appel. However, it was important to remember the tremendous gains that globalisation has brought to the world’s citizens and “to recognize it as an engine of economic progress,” he added. He urged governments to resist protectionist measures. Despite
the very modest
increase in global connectedness from 2010 to 2011, some individual countries had large gains. The largest increases were in sub- Saharan Africa - Mozambique, Togo, Ghana, Guinea and Zambia – and, although this region remains
the world’s least connected, it had the largest increases, on average. The Netherlands retained its
2010 position as the world’s most connected country and, of the top ten most connected countries in 2011, nine of them are in Europe, the world’s most connected region. The UK remained in sixth place. Although it tops the 2011
ranking, the Netherlands has surprising headroom to further increase its integration with the world, according to a new case study in the 2012 edition of the GCI. Report author Professor
Pankaj Ghemawat explained: “Investigating the actual extent of globalisation on a country-by- country and regional basis reveals two critical things. First, cross- border flows are significantly lower than commonly perceived, and second, every country – even the Netherlands – has untapped possibilities to benefit from more connectedness. At a time of economic weakness, this represents one of the most powerful levers available for boosting growth.” The DHL Global Connectedness
Index 2012 and background information can be downloaded at
www.dhl.com/gci
///NEWS
NEWS ROUNDUP ROAD & RAIL
Rugby-based Exact Logistics has bought into the German CTL transport system. The deal gives Exact Logistics the right to deliver and collect from CTL’s 130 partners between Germany and the UK and Ireland. It will also speed up deliveries to and from Germany and the company is targeting a 48-hour transit time in the future. The deal also covers the continent and the firm will also now be able to offer daily delivery services between Germany and Czech Republic, Slovakia, Greece, Malta, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania and Bulgaria.
The EU’s new ‘Euro 6’ emissions standards for trucks entered into force at the beginning of 2013. Nitrogen oxide emissions will be cut by 80% reduction) and particulate matter by two thirds, along with harmonised test procedures and standards.
The second reading of the Parliamentary Bill to introduce a truck levy on UK roads from April 2014 was passed by the House of Commons on 20 November. The next stage will be for it to be considered by a Public Bill Committee.
The IRU and the European Road Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF) have agreed a joint statement on the further opening of the road haulage market and particularly on the liberalisation of cabotage restrictions. Both organisations agree that there should be no further deregulation without harmonisation of social and fiscal conditions. They will now lobby European institutions ahead of the publication of the European Commission’s analysis of the EU road transport market early next year, which may be accompanied by legislative proposals on cabotage.
DB Schenker Rail has added a fourth weekly service between the UK and Italy, from Hams Hall in the Midlands to Domodossola in Northern Italy. It plans to add a a fiſth service in early 2013, meaning that there will be a service every weekday. There are also slightly longer-term aspirations to increase the service between Poland and Barking, East London via the High Speed 1 route from its current twice-weekly frequency.
DB Schenker Rail UK is now offering a door to door service for customers who want an integrated transport service from the quayside direct to the warehouse. D2D will handle the full movement of containers for clients, using road and rail haulage and comes in response to requests from retail and manufacturing customers who wish to increase their use of rail freight for capacity, environmental and cost reasons. DB Schenker Rail sees the concept as removing a potential barrier to using rail freight by integrating it with existing supply chains. The service uses a mixture of subcontractors and a limited amount of in-house road haulage.
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles has given the go-ahead for an intermodal rail freight terminal at Radlett near St Albans. However, local MP Anne Main suggested that a legal challenge to the controversial plan might still be possible.
Severn Trent hopes to submit a planning application this summer for a 619-acre rail freight terminal between Etwall and Egginton in Derbyshire, the Derby Telegraph reported on 5 January. The scheme had been in limbo due to the recession and difficulties in finding a development partner. The development is likely to have to go before the Government’s new Infrastructure Planning Commission, however.
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