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News Desk


Drewry holds seminar on freight rate outlook


ON THE OCEAN Drewry is holding a free webinar briefing on Tuesday, 5 February 2019, on the outlook for container shipping freight rates in 2019. The presentation will examine recent trends in the shipping market and the impact on freight rates for the year ahead. Contact Drewry for further information.


The chief executives of Eurotunnel and Port of Calais have objected to the emergency contracts to provide additional ro-ro capacity in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit awarded by the UK government to Brittany Ferries, DFDS and Seaborne


Freight, according to Lloyd’s Loading List. It says they are threatening to take legal action and have described the move as “a ridiculous distortion of the cross- Channel market”.


At the beginning of January, the World Container Index assessed by Drewry was up 14.1% to $1,792.96 per feu.


OVERLAND The Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) has launched a Master Driver CPC counter-terrorism course to keep LGV drivers safe. The course will


Specialists in alcohol customs clearance


help drivers identify and minimise risks, as well as provide additional information to improve counter- terrorism knowledge.


PD Ports says that the short- sighted vision for Northern Freight Rail threatens UK economic growth. The planned £3 billion upgrade to the 76-mile Trans-Pennine route between Manchester and Leeds does not include provisions for freight traffic, even though the demand for freight by rail in the region is clear and measurable.


Concerns have been raised over HS2, with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss warning that the project could be scrapped, adding that the government must be prepared to “junk white elephant” projects after Brexit. Truss is leading a major government spending review this year and says she is examining “all major investment projects” funded by Whitehall to judge their contribution to the nation’s prosperity.


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PORTSIDE The British Ports Association says it will be promoting its ‘zoning’ policy in 2019 as a key priority. It plans to focus on port sector promotion, looking beyond Brexit, as well as increased public transport investment and safety around ports with hopes to grow a network of regional hubs around the UK.


Ports are failing to fully reap the productivity and financial gains that automation can generate, with many automation projects actually leading to falls in container-handling productivity, according to a new study by McKinsey. The consultant found that the ports sector has automated more slowly than comparable industries, including


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


warehousing. And, although the pace of automation is now starting to accelerate, many operators are not generating the improvements they should expect.


IN THE AIR Growth in demand for global air freight markets, measured in freight tonne kilometers, was flat in November 2018, compared with the previous year, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Following 31 consecutive months of increases, it was the slowest rate of growth recorded since March 2016.


Heathrow and Gatwick airports are to buy anti-drone technology costing millions of pounds following the disruption before Christmas. Gatwick has said it plans to spend £5 million to prevent future attacks.


IN BUSINESS The UK is set to remain in the Common Transit Convention (CTC) after Brexit, ensuring simplified cross-border trade for UK businesses exporting their goods. The CTC is used for moving goods between the EU member states, the EFTA countries, as well as Turkey, Macedonia and Serbia.


The National Infrastructure Commission’s interim report says that government and local authorities are suffering from ‘freight blindness’ with little understanding of why and how to plan for the sector, leaving its needs as a low priority. In response, the British Ports Association called on government to review its freight strategy and prioritise port connectivity initiatives.


Industry groups are warning that an income-based threshold on immigration will make it even harder for logistics businesses to recruit the staff they need to fill vital roles. This is a response to the publication of the government’s new immigration plans that include a possible £30,000 minimum salary threshold for EU nationals.


February 2019


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