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News Desk


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


waiting for the other to make a move”.


MSC Gülsün, currently claimed to be the world’s largest container ship, completed its landmark maiden voyage from the north of China to Europe and is the first of a new class of 23,000+ teu vessels being added in 2019-2020 to the global MSC fleet.


GB Railfreight (GBRf) has started an intermodal service from Southampton to Manchester.


DB Cargo invests in rail improvements


OVERLAND September saw DB Cargo UK announce a multi-million pound investment programme to improve track and rail infrastructure at its depots in Immingham, Rotherham and Toton, whilst GB Railfreight (GBRf) commenced a five-days-a- week intermodal service from Solent Stevedores terminal in Southampton, to Maritime’s terminal in Trafford, Manchester.


The UK government has updated its information about ECMT permits for journeys in November and December, giving hauliers the opportunity to buy these permits from 30 August. It advised that until the end of 2019, the permits are only necessary for journeys from the UK to non-EU or EEA countries through the EU or EEA, and if more than two cross-trade journeys within seven days are carried out.


IN THE AIR Global airfreight has recorded its ninth consecutive month of year-


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on-year volume decline, according to the figures published by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in August, with 2019 set to be the first year for a decade in which the global air freight market shrinks.


Heathrow Airport head of cargo Nicks Platts is to leave his post on 9 October, saying that he would seek a fresh challenge.


On the ocean While there has been a recovery in the production of reefer container equipment, availability will remain tight over the next few years, which will impact shipping capacity supply and freight rates at seasonal peaks, according to maritime analyst Drewry.


Following an 18-month investigation by the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) commissioner Rebecca Dye, the commission is backing proposals aimed at reforming how demurrage


and detention fees are levied by ocean carriers on shippers. The main change would be suspending charges in cases where shippers and their 3PLs are prevented from moving cargo out of terminals by factors beyond their control.


Many cargo owners remain uncertain about the impact of IMO 2020 on their freight costs, although better information is now becoming available, says Drewry. This predicts BAFs will soar from Q4 2019 and be very volatile in the first half of 2020, before falling in 2021.


The blank sailing tactics of the world’s leading container shipping lines have been attacked for their opaque, late announcements to clients by maritime analyst Sea- Intelligence. It states that the announcements are “unnecessarily slow and inconsiderate towards customers, and reek of tactical game theory considerations, with the two largest alliances seemingly


ON THE QUAYSIDE The government has announced £30 million of potential investment in the country’s ports. It has invited them to bid for a share of £10 million as part of the Port Infrastructure Resilience and Connectivity (PIRC) competition, while providing £5 million to four key Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) – made up of emergency responders, councils and other public services – in areas with key freight ports, and a further £15 million towards longer-term projects to boost road and rail links to ports.


Forth Ports has launched a new online, container tracking system for customers that use its London Container Terminal (Port of Tilbury) and Grangemouth facilities, giving customers the ability to enquire in real-time about the status of their container within the two ports.


IN BUSINESS Reported thefts of products from road, rail, air and maritime supply chains in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region exceeded EUR55 million in the first six months of 2019, but are estimated to be far higher, said the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA).


A poll of 3PLs that attended IMHX 2019 in September, revealed an extremely positive outlook across the sector: 91% of those quizzed expect their organisation to grow over the next two years, with 34% anticipating ‘significant’ growth over this time, while 76% believe that their company is likely to experience growth in the next 12 months alone.


October 2019


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