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News Desk


Global demand for airfreight edges up


IN THE AIR Global air freight demand, measured in freight tonne kilometers, rose 2.3% in August, compared with the same period in 2017, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This growth rate was unchanged from the previous month, but was less than half the five-year average growth rate of 5.1%.


Aberdeen Standard Investment’s Airport Industrial Property Unit Trust has secured planning permission for a 250,000 sq ft cargo warehouse at Heathrow Airport,


which has been designed to accommodate the operational requirements of dnata, and will complement its existing facilities.


INTERNATIONAL TRADE The US Customs & Border Protection agency (CBP) is poised to ramp up measures to intercept illegal substances and counterfeit goods entering the country via e- commerce shipments. Monitoring of incoming mail will be increased through a mandate for data on all shipments to be submitted in advance – and e-commerce arriving in consolidations is also


going to be subject to closer scrutiny.


IN THE WAREHOUSE New diesel and LPG-powered forklift trucks sold in the EU will have to comply with the world’s toughest emission standards for non-road vehicles, Euro-Stage V, from January 1 2019. Although the UK is set to exit the EU shortly after its introduction, the standards will almost certainly be adopted in the UK, say experts.


OVERLAND Lobby groups are urging government to proceed with construction of its approved route across the Thames to increase capacity and connectivity on this vital road network. The route would link the A2 east of Gravesend to the M25, a solution expected to unlock an additional 90% of road capacity.


Volvo Trucks has been trialling a Krone city liner in urban areas, including inner London, to re-open the debate about the use of articulated vehicles. The London lorry control scheme currently restricts the movement of HGVs over 18 tonnes, but does not apply to ‘rigid’ or eight-wheel vehicles.


ON THE OCEAN The FIATA Working Group Sea Transport has produced a best- practice guide on demurrage and detention in container shipping to assist both FIATA national associations and their individual member freight forwarders. See: https://fiata.com/media/documents -for-download.html


There is considerable unease among global shippers/beneficial cargo owners and freight forwarders ahead


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


of the IMO’s 2020 global emissions regulations, due to come into force on 1 January 2020, according to a survey conducted by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Particular concern was expressed by respondents in both the survey and follow-up interviews about carriers’ methods of fuel cost recovery, with 56% of respondents stating that they do not consider their service providers’ existing approaches either fair or transparent.


PORTSIDE


The economic value of the UK ports industry has been highlighted ahead of this year’s British Ports Association (BPA) annual conference. According to the association, UK ports handle 95% of all UK trade and employ over 100,000 people. It also says that over £1.7 billion worth of privately financed port infrastructure projects are currently in the pipeline and that the ports sector contributes £7.6 billion to the UK economy. The BPA has produced a series of promotional graphics to help promote these statistics.


IN BUSINESS


The logistics sector could risk £516 million a year in economic output by 2023, if employers do not fully embrace flexibility, a new study developed by Quinyx in collaboration with Development Economics and Censuswide, has revealed. The research found that the level of dissatisfaction among logistics workers around the flexibility of their current working arrangements is high.


UK export growth has slowed significantly according to the latest European Export Index by accountant and business adviser BDO LLP. The findings in its quarterly index show that growth of UK exports has fallen for the sixth consecutive quarter, and now sits at its lowest level since the second quarter of 2016, with the rising price of UK exports contributing to this sluggish growth as well as the uncertainty around Brexit negotiations.


November 2018


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