BIFAlink


News Desk


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


the same month in 2019, according to data issued by IATA in April. February also saw strong month- on-month growth over January levels, with volumes having now returned to the 2018 levels seen prior to the US-China trade war.


Irish Ferries to launch Dover-Calais service


ON THE OCEAN From June 2021, Irish Ferries will start a service on the Dover-Calais route using the Isle of Inishmore (pictured), with more capacity to be added in the following months. The service will significantly strengthen the capacity and reliability of the landbridge for exporters and importers, and promises cheaper and quicker access to European markets via the Common Transit Convention (CTC).


Having recently announced additional sailings on UK and Irish routes out of Zeebrugge, CLdN is increasing capacity and frequency on its Iberian service with the start of a bi-weekly service calling at both Liverpool and Dublin out of Santander.


Container shipping lines are in damage-control mode following the upset caused by the Suez Canal closure. With almost 20 weekly container shipping services calling at multiple ports across Europe and Asia, it will be a mammoth exercise, with all spare capacity in the ocean and terminal networks maxed out from months of strong demand, leading to a slowdown in the return of


4


equipment to Asia and predictions of further container shortages.


The Global Shippers Forum (GSF) has renewed lobbying the European Commission’s competition directorate to take a closer look at the liner shipping industry. Specifically, the GSF wants a re- examination of the EC’s Block Exemption Regulation, granted a year ago, which gave container lines another four years of exemption from cartel competition laws and allows them to share operational data and form shipping alliances.


From the start of June, DFDS will introduce a new unaccompanied freight service between Sheerness and Calais, deploying Gothia Seaways with one daily round-trip seven days per week, carrying up to 165 unaccompanied freight units per voyage.


Container shipping lines enjoyed their best quarter in container shipping history in the final three months of 2020, according to Blue Alpha Capital. Fourth-quarter net earnings for the 11 carriers that report their financials came in at US$5.8 billion, a figure that Blue


Alpha Capital expects has been beaten in the first quarter of this year.


March saw a stunning 866,060 teu of new ship tonnage ordered, almost the same as was contracted throughout the whole of 2020, as the cash-rich sector starts spending some of its recent gains, according to data from shipowning organisation BIMCO. It reported that 45 ultra-large containerships with capacities in excess of 15,000 teu were ordered last month, as well as 27 smaller sized ships.


GOING OVERLAND Highways England has invited tenders for two contracts, worth a combined £1.9 billion, to build routes north and south of the River Thames on the proposed Lower Thames Crossing. It also announced a shortlist of three companies to build the longest road tunnel in Britain, which sits at the heart of new crossing. The companies are BFV JV, Bouygues Murphy Joint Venture (BMJV), and Dragados-Hochtief JV.


IN THE AIR Global air cargo demand continued to outperform pre-COVID levels in February with demand up 9% over


ON THE QUAYSIDE DP World will invest £40 million at the port of Southampton this year, including on: dredging and widening berths; the acquisition of a new class of 11 hybrid straddle carriers; redevelopment of the yard for the storage and delivery of customers’ empty containers; a new Border Control Post (BCP); and a 120 m extension of a quay crane rail.


IN THE WAREHOUSE The latest research from Knight Frank shows that 40 million sq ft of new warehouse space in developments larger than 50,000 sq ft is scheduled for completion in 2021, compared with the 20 million sq ft completed last year. This reflects long-term strategic planning by retailers in response to e- commerce growth.


IN BUSINESS The percentage of UK companies reporting decreased export sales in the first quarter of this year rose to 41%, up from 38% in the previous quarter, according to the British Chambers of Commerce’s Trade Confidence Outlook, which surveyed more than 2,900 exporters. The percentage of businesses reporting increased export sales fell to 20%, down from 22% in Q4 2020.


Ti’s latest report, Global e- commerce logistics 2021, shows 27.3% growth in the e-commerce logistics market in 2020 as online retail demand soars and consumer requirements for same or next-day last mile delivery options rise sharply. Analysts predict that the market will hit €557 billion by 2025, with logistics providers growing in importance in helping e-retailers meet consumer demands.


May 2021


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24