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Peel Ports in Liverpool to Scotland rail venture


OVERLAND Peel Ports has partnered with the UK’s largest rail freight company, DB Cargo UK, to provide a new two-way rail service for containers between the quayside at Liverpool and Scotland. The new service will comprise up to 30 wagons and is expected to carry over 40 containers per trip. The service will initially run three days a week, with DB Cargo UK providing the rail haulage.


PORTSIDE New research released today by the British Chambers of Commerce, in partnership with the Port of Dover, finds that over a third (36%) of UK


traders rely on the just-in-time delivery of material and components, but that many are not preparing for changes to customs procedures after Brexit. The survey found that delays at UK or EU ports would lead to considerable business disruption, particularly for those operating a just-in-time model.


IN BUSINESS Companies that do business in Iran are considering their next moves now that the Trump administration has moved to reinstate economic sanctions against the country. Growing shipping services tied to Iran may come under pressure if


industrial flows recede as a result of the looming reinstatement. UK P&I Club has told its members to ask for up-to-date legal advice before entering any new Iran-related fixture.


Drewry estimates that in 2017, the global containerised trade of 207 million teu of ocean containers required around 1.26 billion freight invoices to be issued, verified, paid and reconciled. With the current low levels of automation of payment processes among shippers, forwarders and shipping, it estimates a total processing cost of USD34.4 billion annually, and concludes that the prevailing inefficiencies pose a significant market opportunity for technological disruptors, which can offer efficiency gains through technological solutions.


BIMCO president Anastasios Papagiannopoulos has expressed his optimism that China and the USA will not engage in a trade war, and called on both sides to “avoid a brutal and harmful escalation that will affect the shipping industry badly. I am still hopeful that world trade will not implode”.


Exis Technologies, with the support of leading shipping and freight insurers, TT Club and UK P&I Club, has announced the next phase of implementation of its Hazcheck Restrictions Portal.


IN THE WAREHOUSE The race to automate warehouses is heating up as technology companies try to make their robots more nimble. Most warehouses rely largely on human labour, but automation beckons as companies face surging e-commerce volumes and a tight hiring market, although training machines to handle goods


4


www.bifa.org Ian Matheson, from Impress Communications, reviews some recent news that might impact on Members’ business


of varying sizes has proven challenging.


IN THE AIR The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released data for global air freight markets showing that demand, measured in freight tonne kilometres, rose 1.7% in March 2018, compared with the same period the year before.


London-Heathrow airport cargo volumes enjoyed their 21st consecutive record month in April 2018, as trade growth at the UK’s largest port increased by 2.3% year on year to 141,215 tonnes.


The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a new standardised global certification programme to improve the safety and welfare of animals travelling by air. The Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators for Live Animals Logistics (CEIV Live Animals) provides stakeholders across the air cargo supply chain with the assurance that CEIV Live Animals certified companies are operating to the highest standards in the transport of live animals.


ON THE OCEAN According to the latest report from Alphaliner, an acute shortage in the availability of charter tonnage could force carriers to shelve plans to launch new liner services this summer. And a big hike in daily hire rates for containerships that do become available, combined with spiralling fuel prices, will force a rethink on the economics of the planned new and enhanced ventures.


According to analysis by SeaIntel, liner service reliability fell to record lows in the first quarter of 2018, following on from last year’s already significant on-time performance decline. In the first three months of 2018, global schedule reliability fell by 8.1% compared with the final quarter of 2017, and fell by 6% year on year.


June 2018


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