www.bifa.org


Robert Keen’s Column


BIFAlink


BIFAlink is the official magazine of the British International Freight Association Redfern House, Browells Lane, Feltham TW13 7EP Tel: 020 8844 2266 Web site: www.bifa.org E-mail: bifa@bifa.org (A company limited by guarantee. Registered in England: 391973. VAT Registration: 216476363)


Director General Robert Keen r.keen@bifa.org Executive Director Robert Windsor r.windsor@bifa.org Executive Director Spencer Stevenson s.stevenson@bifa.org Executive Director Carl Hobbis c.hobbis@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor Pawel Jarza p.jarza@bifa.org Policy & Compliance Advisor David Stroud d.stroud@bifa.org Editorial Co-ordinator Sharon Hammond s.hammond@bifa.org Membership Supervisor Sarah Milton s.milton@bifa.org


Published by Park Lane Publishing peter@parklanepublishingltd.com Contributors Robert Keen, Robert Windsor, Pawel Jarza, David Stroud, Spencer Stevenson, Carl Hobbis, Sharon Hammond


Emerging from COVID-19 restrictions


As I sat down to write my column for the August edition, debate was intensifying on a number of issues that are impacting on the activities of BIFA Members and the clients whose supply chains they manage. In the ocean freight arena, groups representing cargo owners were praising President


Biden’s executive order that directs the Federal Maritime Commission and the Surface Transportation Board, which regulate the ocean shipping and rail freight sectors in the USA, respectively, to toughen their oversight of cargo transport in light of longstanding concerns over freight transport fees and services. There have been pleas for the European Commission to do something similar, but those calling for stronger regulatory action and even legislation need to remember that


President Biden’s order does not give the agencies any new authority and that container shipping operates under the rules of the free market. Carriers say the executive order is an over-reaction to market forces that have impacted supply chains over the past year. In mid-July, and with just months to go until the major COP26 climate summit, the ever-increasing focus of


environmental and sustainability issues within logistics took centre stage with the announcement of the UK’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which the UK government described as a ‘world-leading greenprint’ to cut emissions from the UK’s seas and skies, roads and railways. Whether the plan, which led to mixed feelings from various sides of the supply chain, helps to deliver a


credible pathway for the whole freight, transport and logistics sector to reach net zero by 2050 remains to be seen. But, what is clear is that environmental matters are now firmly on the agenda of those engaged in moving freight and are something to which BIFA will be paying even closer attention in the future. As I was writing, I was also anticipating the imminent relaxation of many of the government restrictions


introduced due to the pandemic, which had been reducing in intensity even before the so called ‘freedom day’ of 19 July. We enjoyed a London Freight Club lunch at the end of June with over 200 people in attendance and are hopeful that we will be able to resume meeting with BIFA Members face-to-face. We are also optimistic that our annual Awards Lunch at The Brewery in London will take place in January 2022. The competition has been launched and we are in the process of booking a host, so now is the time to start preparing your entry and telling us about your company’s achievements. Another event is Multimodal 2021 and the regular exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in


Birmingham is looking likely to proceed in October after many deferrals. We think there will be a good attendance, so we have re-committed to be part of the ‘Forwarder Village’ that the organisers are planning. The Liverpool Region Dinner is our other key event, and we will be canvassing usual attendees and sponsors to ascertain the appetite for a return to the traditional format. Of course, our regular policy group and regional meetings used to be physical events and are now on Zoom


Note to media: If you wish to use items in this magazine that are older than 1 month, please contact the editor to ensure that the item in question still reflects the current circumstances.


Please be advised that BIFA DOES NOT OFFER LEGAL ADVICE. BIFA is not a law firm and the authors of this publication are not legally qualified and do not have any legal training. The guidance and assistance set out herein are based on BIFA’s own experience with the issues concerned and should not be in any circumstances regarded or relied upon as legal advice. It is strongly recommended that anyone considering further action based on the information contained in this publication should seek the advice of a qualified professional.


or Teams. We already have demand to return to ‘in person’ meetings in certain areas but there are indications that some BIFA Members wish to stay with videoconferencing. This will be consulted upon as we assess the desire of people to mix with each other. Regular readers of BIFAlink will have seen previous articles submitted by The European Freight Trades


Association – EFTA – www.eftaweb.com. Recently the secretary of EFTA drew our attention to an article in a Sunday newspaper about a fraudulent company where a check on Companies House showed some eminent billionaire businessmen as directors. Needless to say, the information was false, but it made the company look plausible at first glance. EFTA is


urging its members not to be over-reliant on credit referencing agencies that simply take Companies House information wholesale. I will end this column by reminding Members to make sure that they are fully prepared for rule changes


affecting UK-EU trade that will take effect over the next six months following the initial postponement in March. See page 16 for information on the implementation of Stages 2 and 3 of the Border Operating Model. With that, I hope that you enjoy the remainder of the summer and that any holiday plans that you have made are not scuppered by the ever-evolving rules concerning COVID-19.


Robert Keen Director General


August 2021 3


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