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Issue 1 2021 - Freight Business Journal


Heathrow third runway clears court hurdle


The Supreme Court has overturned an Appeal Court ruling that the third runway at Heathrow Airport failed to meet environmental targets, clearing another hurdle for the


controversial scheme. However, the plan still faces a public enquiry, a decision by the Planning Inspectorate and final government approval, before being allowed to go ahead.


Heathrow airfreight trucker joins Pallet-Track


Heathrow-based airfreight trucking company Mixed Freight Services has joined the Pallet-Track network. The company, which employs almost 100 staff, has taken over the TW postcode area on behalf of the Wolverhampton- based network. Caldicot-based Hicks Logistics


began looking after the Avonmouth postcodes on the same day. This is the first time Mixed Freight Services has been part of a pallet network and is part of a diversification plan devised long before the major reduction in air travel during 2020.


of pounds, and in some cases hundreds of thousands.” In response, British Ports


The Chairs of two Commons


select committees, International Trade and Transport, have written to their Secretaries of State calling for government intervention to tackle substantial disruption at UK container ports. Angus Brendan MacNeil MP


and Huw Merriman MP called on the departments to examine the situation and intervene. In the letter, they said: “We


were concerned to hear that this disruption is causing delays to goods entering the UK, and major increases to the costs of shipping freight, with container prices trebling or quadrupling to up to £8,000 in some cases…We were particularly surprised to hear that berthing is so rationed at Felixstowe that oſten not all UK containers can be unloaded during the berthing time and get taken to Zeebrugge. Perhaps somewhere there is capacity between Invergordon and Kent that could


be used to alleviate Felixstowe congestion and easier onwards road transport than Zeebrugge. “There may indeed be solutions


but the problem is so big we feel it needs Government intervention.” The MPs’ action followed a call


by the British Retail Consortium and the Food and Drink Federation for an urgent parliamentary enquiry into the delays that have hit UK deepsea ports in the last few months. In a letter to chair of the


Commons Transport Select Committee, Lilian Greenwood MP, and chair of the Commons International Trade Committee, Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, said that the impact of Covid-19 on global shipping schedules along with a shortage of empty containers had created significant disruption at many of the UK’s key ports in the run up to Christmas. Retailers face “major challenges in building up stock for the Christmas


period and for the end of the transition period at the end of December.” The letter requests that the


Transport Select Committee holds a joint-inquiry with the Commons International Trade Committee on port disruption and functioning of the shipping market. It would give affected businesses the opportunity to set out how the disruption has impacted their operations and could help support planning and troubleshooting. The disruption is also having a


serious impact on shipping-related costs, they say, with container spot rates jumping, in one instance, by 170% from this time last year. Chief operating officer of the


Food and Drink Federation, Tim Rycroſt, added: “Food and drink manufacturers are extremely concerned about the delays we are witnessing at the ports. Our members are incurring costs totalling tens of thousands


Association chief executive, Richard Ballantyne, said, however: “UK ports are working hard to keep trade flowing and most are managing some unusually high volumes as a result of unprecedented volatility this year. Whilst we appreciate difficulties that some importers have experienced in recent weeks, this is certainly not a systemic issue nor is it unique to the UK. The underlying issues are well understood and there is no case for significant intervention or change to Government policy.” Chief executive of the UK


Major Ports Group, Tim Morris, commented: “Covid-19 has put unprecedented pressures on global supply chains. Imbalances have built up over time and there is strong demand globally for many goods sourced from Asia. It is undoubtedly a difficult situation, with ports and businesses around the world impacted. The UK also has some additional pressures from stock build before the end of the Transition period from the EU.”


Forwarders see red over shipping surcharge


The British International Freight Association (BIFA) says its members are exasperated by the news of an ‘Emergency Space Surcharge’ by one of the world’s leading container shipping companies. It will apply from South


East India ports to the North Continent, the Mediterranean, North Africa, Red Sea and Latin America. BIFA director general Robert


Keen said: “Forwarders do not like shipping line surcharges of whatever nature and, along with other groups, we have been challenging their legitimacy on behalf of our members – and their customers – for many years. The line in question says


the Emergency Space Surcharge is part of continued efforts to provide customers with reliable and efficient service. BIFA says that the lines are cashing in on a crisis in global container shipping, created in no small part by their own actions. “Over the last few years,


we have seen surcharges for fuel, equipment imbalance, the peak season and currency fluctuations. The number of surcharges and fees continues to grow – often with no real explanation or justification. For instance, what does an extra ‘administration fee’ or ‘container


sealing fee’ cover


that is not in the standard service offered?


“Forwarders do all they


can to minimise the effects of the surcharges but in the end costs need to be passed


on to the customers “and


there is sometimes an unfair perception that our members are to blame.”


News Roundup


CMA CGM short sea arm Containerships is launching a new route, DUNK, connecting Dunkerque in northern France with Liverpool and Bristol, avoiding the congestion on the Dover Straits. The new weekly service starts on 29 January with departures from the French hub on Friday and arrival in Liverpool and Bristol on Monday and Tuesday respectively.


Containerships is to increase the frequency of its BENI route between Rotterdam and Dublin from two to three per week from 3 February. The additional sailing leaves Rotterdam on Saturday and arrives in Dublin on Sunday evening. One loop of the service also calls at Dunkerque and Cork.


Short sea line CLdN has added a second call to its weekly con-ro service from Cork to Zeebrugge. The line says that it has seen steady growth in demand for services avoiding the UK landbridge, including unaccompanied trailers, tank containers, finished vehicles and project cargo.


Hapag-Lloyd has revised its services to the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. The Indian Ocean Service 3 and the Indian Ocean Service will offer weekly sailings and be operated in partnership with CMA CGM, COSCO Shipping and the ONE group of Japanese lines. The services will consist of eight 8,500teu vessels and will call at Southampton, North- west Continent, Algeciras, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Port Qasim, Nhava Sheva and Mundra before heading back to Jeddah, Tangier and Southampton. The Indian Ocean Service will call at London Gateway and NW Continent ports, Tangier, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Karachi, Nhava Sheva, Hazira, Mundra and Jeddah.


THE Alliance has revised its Transatlantic Network to offer a more stable network and cater for growing market demand. The AL1 service will be suspended while AL2 will operate from London Gateway and NW Europe to New York, Norfolk and Philadelphia before returning via New York to London Gateway. AL3 operates from London Gateway to Charleston, Savannah, Houston and Norfolk. AL4 operates from London Gateway and NW Europe to Veracruz, Altamira and Houston. AL5 operates from Southampton via NW Europe to Halifax, Port Everglades, Cartagena, Panama, Canal, Rodman, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle and Vancouver.


Purfleet-based LCL haulage specialist Youngs Transportation & Logistics has acquired Warrington-based North West Cargo. It adds 40 vehicles to the fleet and provides a presence in the North for Youngs, which also has a depot in Southampton.


Chris Green is to join Port of Tyne as commercial director. He was previously interim project director at RMS Ports and brings over 20 years’ experience in the ports and logistics industry, including 18 years at ABP.


Stena Embla joins sister Edda on Belfast-Liverpool


Stena Embla, Stena Line’s newest ferry has now joined her sister E-Flexer ship Stena Edda on the Belfast to Liverpool route. She was initially deployed


for a short time on the Rosslare- Cherbourg due to brexit-related demand. A Stena Line spokesman said


that it was likely that an E-Flexer vessel would however, be


deployed to the Cherbourg route long term. Stena Embla has 3,100 freight


lane meters capacity and provide 60% more


cabins for freight


drivers. She is the third E-Flexer ferry to be commissioned for Stena Line’s Irish Sea routes in the last 12 months, as part of a €400m investment. Meanwhile Brittany Ferries


said it would start its new Cherbourg-Rosslare service on 18 January – two months earlier than originally planned. It will initially be served by the Cap Finistère, which will add a weekly rotation between the two ports to its existing twice-weekly Rosslare- Bilbao route. Chief executive Christophe


Mathieu said: “Cap Finistère is our fastest ro ro vessel and she is therefore well suited to opening this new Brexit by-pass, making an additional sailing each week connecting France and Ireland.”


///NEWS Sea


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