BIFAlink


News Desk


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


Liverpool2, the port of Liverpool’s deepwater container terminal, has broken a new terminal record after the MSC Federica docked and exchanged 5,452 teu, the highest number seen from a single vessel since the terminal opened in 2016.


The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has called on the EU to decide on a recovery strategy from the economic crisis Europe is facing as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. It said that contingency plans have been activated to ensure that the ports remain fully operational during this crisis.


Airfreight volumes fall for 15th straight month


IN THE AIR Airfreight volume fell 1.9% year- over-year in February — the 15th straight month of declining volumes, according to The International Air Transport Association (IATA). In seasonally adjusted terms, demand fell by 9.1% month-over-month, which IATA called “the largest ever monthly decline for that series”. Freight capacity fell 4.4% year-over- year in February, which is the first time capacity has contracted since February 2017.


ON THE OCEAN Maritime consultancy Sea- Intelligence has highlighted the losses that the world’s top container shipping companies could suffer as they brace for a worst-case scenario, saying that a failure to prevent a simultaneous rate collapse could lead to the liner industry losing a “staggering” US$23 billion in 2020.


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The UK’s Chamber of Shipping has called on the government to provide financial support to the ferry industry to survive the coronavirus pandemic. It stated that if services are cut back, supplies of food, medical equipment and other imported goods will be put at risk.


FIATA has called for shipping lines and terminals to exercise restraint in their demurrage and detention charges and practices, taking into consideration the unprecedented difficulties faced by the freight forwarding industry and other stakeholders amid supply chain disruptions.


Logistics consultancy Drewry Supply Chain Advisors has launched two new container shipping tracking services reporting weekly on cancelled sailings and ship waiting times. It combines Automated Identification System (AIS) data that


monitors containership movements several times a day at some 50 major ports, with Drewry’s own insights on carrier schedules and shipping capacity.


With more than 250 scheduled sailings withdrawn by container lines at the start of the second quarter, Alphaliner stated that the idle containership fleet is expected to breach the 3 million teu mark, surpassing a previous high of 2.46 million teu in early March.


ON THE QUAYSIDE In cooperation with the UK government, the British Ports Association (BPA) has compiled a compendium of information for all UK ports in relation to Covid-19. All tiers of government and the industry are committed to UK ports staying open to help sustain the country, given the vital role that the ports industry has within the UK economy.


ABP has installed two new racks for reefer containers at the Humber Container Terminal, which will allow reefers to be stacked four high, enabling the terminal to save valuable ground space. That in turn increases storage capacity for other container types.


IN THE WAREHOUSE Latest research by Colliers International reveals that food production is currently up by 50%, due to panic buying unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Consequently occupiers who manufacture or distribute essential items are in urgent need of flexible space to keep up with this demand surge.


IN BUSINESS The Department for Transport acknowledged in April the important work undertaken by the logistics sector throughout the Covid-19 crisis. It stated that all travel related to logistics businesses is ‘essential’ and logistics professionals should continue to work to keep all supply chains operational.


The heads of the World Customs Organization and the World Trade Organization have issued a joint statement pledging to work together to facilitate trade in essential goods, such as medical supplies, food and energy.


May 2020


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