Shipping Search - Archive

Transport Lobby Groups Ask For, and Offer Assistance

UK – Two of the leading industry Associations have made their cases to government today for assistance for the logistics sector in different areas of the profession. Whilst the Road Haulage Association (RHA) is concentrating on the plight of many smaller hauliers, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) is concerned for its members which reside in, or trade with, Northern Ireland.

Private and State Run Cargo Carriers Need Equal Treatment

EUROPE – Despite its enthusiastic support for the European Commission when it announced the establishment of 'Green Lanes' which it says has greatly assisted in ensuring rail freight can continue to move essential goods throughout Europe, the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA) is still looking for more governmental support during the Covid-19 emergency.

As Essentials Take Priority and Labour Laid Off Goods Accumulate Worldwide

WORLDWIDE – Insurance group TT Club has issued a stern warning regarding the accumulation of cargo building up around the globe as the coronavirus outbreak plays havoc with transport systems. The Club points to the lag between the large-scale sourcing regions of China and other parts of Asia and the consuming markets of Europe and North America which it says has caused significant blocks of freight to be stuck in less secure facilities in both exporting and importing nations.

Happy Birthday Colonel Tom!

UK – It has been a bit of a week for Tom Moore. Not many people live to celebrate their 100th birthday, let alone do it getting a fly past from a spitfire, a personal message from the PM, a promotion to Colonel, become an honorary member of the England cricket team, have a number one hit record and raise around £30 million for the NHS. And now, on his birthday, he has had a train named after him.

Latest Evidence Offers Hopes for Reduction in Shipping Emissions

NETHERLANDS – WORLDWIDE – One shipping line seemingly determined to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to cleaning up its act as regards emissions is tanker operator Stena Bulk. Having commenced trials using methanol as a fuel last year, the latest venture to seek a cleaner alternative to traditional or low sulphur fuel oil involves biofuel oil and, so far, things seem to be going well.

There is Another Tier of Unselfish Logistics Workers Behind Those Delivery Drivers

UK – As the lockdown continues, one of the biggest worries for those trapped in their homes is the fear that something may go wrong and there will be no skilled person or company to effect a repair. What if the car breaks down? What if a pipe bursts? And for every incident, we can look along the supply chain and know that, one broken link, and that part will not arrive and the problem will remain.

(We Told You the Robots Were Coming)

THAILAND – Hutchison Ports Thailand, which is the largest container terminal operator in Laem Chabang Port, has become the first cargo handler to acquire and test autonomous trucks at its Terminal D facility there. The six trucks are from Chinese outfit Qomolo, hence known as 'Q' trucks.

Virus Causes a Shift in Emphasis for Major Airlines

WORLDWIDE – Although they are maintaining some level of passenger flights, the bottom has basically dropped out of that aspect of their businesses for the major air carriers which are just getting used to turning their fleets over for freight only duties.

However Carriers Expect a Return to Normality

UK – A survey conducted over the past two weeks of members of the Rail Freight Group (RFG), which represents the interests of rail cargo carriers across the nation, has highlighted the challenges facing companies across the rail cargo sector but also offers hope that the recovery may not be as protracted as feared.

RoRo Route Inception Despite the Virus Worries

IRELAND – BELGIUM – At a time when ferry services are facing a crisis on a scale hitherto unknown some good news emerges on the RoRo freight front with the announcement of a new weekly service between Cork, Ireland and the Port of Zeebrugge, in Belgium.

The Robots Are Coming!

AUSTRALIA – If there is one common denominator which has emerged from the coronavirus crisis it is the need to retain a sensible distance from one's fellow citizens to avoid infection. Now many people who have resisted the advance of technology in the business of handling and delivering freight may be reconsidering the situation, and may perhaps be more accepting of moves made by such as that made by CEVA Logistics in their 'super site' at Truganina, near Melbourne.

Larger Players Will Survive but Lesser Businesses May Fail Without Aid

UK – The situation for the British warehousing industry is grave and it is facing an unprecedented crisis according to CEO of the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA) Peter Ward and, in light of the recent confirmation by the government that the Covid-19 restrictions are to be continued, with no clear end in sight, he has made a direct appeal to Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of The Exchequer and Minister Robert Jenrick MP for additional support for the sector.

Is it a Bird? Is it a Plane? No it's Your Antiviral Medication

UK – Whilst we have been amongst the first to criticise the over hyping of drones, particularly the airborne variety, as a key to the future of logistics, we have never doubted the advantages they offer in certain niche sectors. Now it seems the problems faced by isolated communities during the pandemic has inspired government to take advantage of a high profile PR opportunity at relatively little expense and encourage their development.

Details of Further Aid Still Awaited

UK – The government has been working during the Prime Minister's absence to try and get business in the country back to some semblance of normality. The efforts made so far have however met with a somewhat mixed reception but a funding boost for the RoRo ferry sector has received a cautious welcome from the body representing the country's freight forwarding community.

Pieces of Shipping and Forwarding News You Might Have Missed

UK – We start this week's look at some of the less obvious shipping and logistics news items with a warning about an unforeseen problem which has arisen due to the use of hand sanitizers now used so frequently by people in all walks of life in the battle to avoid and not spread the coronavirus now known as Covid-19.

Logistics Group Steps Up for Wider Collaboration with Technology Engineers

UK – A previous collaboration between freight and logistics group DSV and Cardiff Business School has had an unforeseen outcome to aid the fight against coronavirus. The knowledge transfer project instilled 3D printing expertise in the DSV team, and this has in turn resulted in the relocation of printers to manufacture visors for NHS Wales.

Whilst Container Freight Holds Up RoRo Ferry Traffic Crashes

SWEDEN – Two separate reports today from opposite sides of the country indicate that the coronavirus outbreak has so far had little or no effect on some sectors of the country's ocean borne freight. The ports of Gothenburg on the West coast and Stockholm 500 kilometres to the East, both issued positive figures for recent cargo volumes although, as elsewhere, passenger traffic has slumped.

Unveiling Timed to Coincide with Weekly Celebrations

UK – It might not equate to the £28 million and rising raised by Captain Tom Moore's walk in his garden but everyone is keen to demonstrate support for the NHS in their own way, and this week those caring for others were celebrated by having a locomotive dedicated to them.

Drastic Fall in Demand and Availability Needs Governmental Intervention

AFRICA – The fear of the Covid-19 virus running amok throughout the continent is one of the big eared elephants in the room. It seems however that the pandemic is already having a catastrophic effect on the air carriers which link the panoply of countries which stretch from Algiers to Cape Town and the Gambia to Somalia.

Covid-19 Emergency Space Register Extended Beyond Standard Pallet Retention

UK – Following the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) statement earlier this week with regard to ways to avoid punishing charges for containers stuck at the country's ports during the pandemic, CEO Peter Ward has elaborated on the potential problem of overstocked storage facilities.

The World Post Virus Will Undoubtedly Look Different but How?

UK – WORLDWIDE – So, what does the future hold for the logistics industry, and indeed the world? As we fight our way through the greatest health threat in living memory it is difficult to predict exactly the situation we shall be left with before the ultimate damage of the Covid-19 pandemic is known. What we can be sure of however is that there will be changes to the global supply chain to a greater or lesser degree.

Agencies Cooperate on European Trailer Services

UK – GERMANY – Streck Transport, a freight forwarder headquartered in Freiburg, and which can trace its pedigree back almost 75 years, has teamed up with Dartford based Davies Turner to reinforce the British company's already sizeable portfolio of scheduled overland trailer services with Germany.

Freight Interests Believe Political Eyes Are Off the Ball as UK Refuses Delay

UK – EUROPE – As the two sides prepare to reopen the stalled negotiations on the small matter of the Brexit transition period, and in a situation in which a year ago could hardly have been imagined, there are a considerable number of stakeholders within logistics who will look sideways at the UK government's avowed intent not to request an extension.

Specific Fund in the Fight Against the Effects of Covid-19

UK – WORLDWIDE – At a time when the global pandemic is insinuating itself into every facet of our lives London-based charity Seafarers UK has created a new Seafarers UK Covid-19 Emergency Fund of £2 million, with grants being awarded immediately to delivery partners providing advice and support for individual seafarers affected by the widespread coronavirus impacts.

Historic Misdeeds Have No Place in Modern Management

JAPAN – WORLDWIDE – This week saw shipping line Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, known universally known as K Line, join the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), an initiative proposed by the UN, based on CEO commitments to implement universal sustainability principles and to take steps to support a set of specific goals. The ocean carrier has also joined the Global Compact Network Japan, which is UNGC 's local network in Japan.

Freight Forwarders and Shippers Can Schedule Global Consignments by Land, Sea and Air

DUBAI – WORLDWIDE – As part of its drive to move from being a port and container terminal manager to a full blown logistics group DP World has launched a new series of tools and services which it says will enable freight forwarders, and indeed any business, to book shipments of cargo from and to anywhere in the world, by any combination of sea, land and air.

Joint Letter to the Prime Minister Asks for Specific Help to Maintain the Sector

UK – It seems every sector of business is clamouring for assistance from the government as the effect of the pandemic begins to bite, and logistics, which has a vital role to play in ensuring the hospitals stay stocked with PPE and the nation's larders are not bare, is shouting as loud as any.

Regulations Will Come Into Force on Schedule but Offenders to Get Reprieve

UK – A message this week from Transport for London (TfL) confirming it has had a request from Mayor Sadiq Khan to delay the enforcement of new rules for London's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) and Direct Vision Standards (DVS) for at least four months after their introduction this October.

There Are Ways to Avoid Quay Rents Without Government Assistance

UK – Whilst many cargo owners are looking to the government for assistance with quay rents and other port charges as the pandemic eats into capital, the head of the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA), CEO Peter Ward, thinks perhaps another approach might be needed to ameliorate their problems.

Shipping Sector Could Take a Lead in the Fight for the Future

WORLDWIDE – In what many will view as a controversial argument a major player in the field of sustainable energy provision has raised a head above the parapet to say that the Covid-19 virus is not the major threat to the planet. What is more the company spokesman has produced facts and figures to back the argument, and says that the shipping sector could be a serious player when it comes to fighting the problem, but only if given the type of support we are seeing at present to defeat the pandemic.

Millions of Air Freight and Passenger Industry Jobs Threatened - and Many More Besides

SWITZERLAND – UK – WORLDWIDE – Crises often have the effect of pulling those generally considered as opponents together as they share a common cause. But whether it be an offer of assistance by Britain to the USSR in 1941 to fight fascism, or two such diverse bodies as the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) in London and the Geneva based International Air Transport Association (IATA) battling to save an industry threatened by a pandemic, the result is the same.

Will Questionable Morality of Multilateral Action Prompt Competition Authority Action?

UK – The situation the entire world finds itself in is without doubt unique, and while the general mien so far has been one of all pulling together, the change to where the situation more resembles a fight to be the one that gets the last place in the only lifeboat is never very far away.

Overland May Be Slower but the Price Differentials on the Silk Road Now are Astonishing

UK – CHINA – With just about all carriers hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis many of those charged with ferrying air freight from China have been quick to ramp up their charges, particularly as the country seems to have got back into production mode in double quick time, with floods of PPE, respirators and the like demanded by other nations.

Things to Note About LTL Shipping in the States

US – One of the things which always seem to puzzle international shippers, and indeed many freight forwarding agents, are the different terms used in the different markets around the world. We make no apologies for taking time in this strange period, with the virus dominating all headlines, to take time out to look at different aspects of the logistics industry which may bore some regular readers, but help explain to others some details which may prove of interest, and possibly even of use.

Heel Dragging Accusation as GP Surgeries Unavailable to Certify Mandatory Documentation

UK – Amidst all the current confusion just about everyone is now aware that it is the various factions of the nation's logistics industry that enable the country to maintain something close to the status quo as far as essential provisions are concerned, not to mention the massive increase in demand for medical supplies, disposable and otherwise. Now the government stands accused of letting down the HGV drivers upon whom we all rely.

Staff News from Around the Globe

NORWAY – Wallenius Wilhelmsen has nominated Rune Bjerke for election as Vice Chair of the Board at the company's Annual General Meeting on April 28. The Nomination Committee believes that it is important to take a long-term view and to plan for the eventual recruitment of a new Chair of the Board when the current Chair's term expires in 2021.

Some of the Bits and Pieces You May Have Missed

US – We start the round-up of logistics news this week with American Trucking Associations (ATA) President and CEO Chris Spear being selected by President Trump to the administration's Great American Economic Revival initiative, which is convening bipartisan groups of industry leaders from across all sectors of the US economy. These groups will work with the White House to chart the path forward for the economy as it rebounds from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Wide Variations Between Regions Mean Shortage or Surfeit of Trade and Space

WORLDWIDE – The International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) has released the results of the second Covid-19 Port Economic Impact Barometer on the World Ports Covid-19 Information Portal under the question 'What is the Economic Impact on the Global Port Sector? ' and the survey responses show a mixed picture.

Designed for Hospital Use US Chinese Product Could Provide Wider Protection

CHINA – US – WORLDWIDE – On March 1, just as the virus was making itself known to the outside world Nippon Paint China and US chemical group Corning donated 5 million RMB worth of Nippon Paint Antivirus Paint, at that time only produced for frontline hospital use and not available in the market, to four Covid-19 designated hospitals in Hubei, China. Now people are waking up to the fact that the product may have uses far beyond such sterile environments.

UK White Paper Published by Advocates of the Machines

UK – One of the most contentious issues with regard to logistics is that of the future for drones as a mode of industry support on land, sea and in the air, and the degree of their viability. The UK Drone Delivery Group, which was established to provide guidance on the steps required for the UK to accelerate the growth of the British drone sector, has released a White Paper with regard to the future of air borne drones.

It's Sometimes Hard to Acknowledge Younger Colleagues Know More About Cyber Security

UK – WORLDWIDE – Anyone who has attended a major logistics event, a shipping conference, a commercial vehicle trade show etc. will be familiar with the typical attendee, and for all the lip service to gender and age equalisation a police sketch of the type would doubtless result in a middle aged, possibly balding, white male.

Meanwhile Airlines Face Up to an Ever Darkening Future

WORLDWIDE – In our story earlier this week we told of the appeal from stakeholders in the shipping industry who pointed out to governments the current difficulties of seafarers, many stranded on their vessels and unable to return home due to the restrictions in place. Now support has come from those charged with enabling flights home in the form of an appeal from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

Government Authorises Construction to Start as Few Notice Go Ahead of 'Vanity Project'

UK – With only one topic filing the news a cynic might say that today's announcement by the government authorising the joint venture companies involved to begin the detailed design phase of the high speed rail project HS2, plus a Notice to Proceed marking formal approval for construction to begin, even in the middle of the pandemic, was subtly timed to be released with as little notice as possible.

Logistics Shift Caused by Virus Prompts Immediate Reaction

BELGIUM – The sudden decline in air travellers and the subsequent rush to switch aircraft into freight carriers in the present situation has ramifications beyond the obvious. Traffic levels of each type have gone from the predictable seasonal fluctuations to a point at which the book on logistics goes out of the window.

At 19,200 TEU MSC Anna Sets a New Record for Oakland

US – This week, amidst all the confusion, sanctions and isolationary behaviour we are seeing as a result of the epidemic there is no clearer evidence that world trade continues regardless than the arrival of the largest vessel ever to call at the Port of Oakland, the MSC Anna scheduled to berth on April 16.

A Thousand Cubic Metres of Medical Equipment Carried on Just One Flight

CHINA – POLAND – UK – When it comes to shipping vital medical supplies to fight the Covid-19 virus there is no faster way than via air freight. And it seems when doing that in the largest quantities possible the best choice would be the heaviest aircraft ever built with the biggest wingspan of any in active service, the legendary Antonov AN-225 Mriya.

Healthcare Staff and Supplies Get a Boost to Get Around the Capital

UK – Two organisations well used to ferrying people and goods around have joined forces to provide safe transport and reliable logistics to support hospitals and healthcare workers in London through the Coronavirus outbreak. With public transport levels reduced and the problems of social distancing in place the assistance will doubtless provide a welcome alternative.

Stakeholders Say they Have Workable Plans to See Sailors Safely Get Home

WORLDWIDE – Government's around the globe are receiving pleas for support from every corner of society and one of the most plaintiff cries comes from those who represent the crews of vessels effectively marooned at sea whilst the pandemic rages.

Freight Forwarders Raise Complaints Over Lack of Response

UK – First the good news. In response to the Covid-19 crisis last week the Customs authorities relaxed the rules on payment of import duty and VAT. The British International Freight Association (BIFA) which represents many of the country's forwarding agencies has been lobbying hard for several weeks as a member of the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC) for a easing of the regulations.

Faster Than Sea Freight Cheaper Than Air Cargo

GERMANY – CHINA – Last week we focused on how groupage traffic was being reinvigorated on the 'Iron Silk Road' but it seems the option of the overland route, faster than ocean freight and certainly cheaper than air cargo, has also attracted a larger scale of consignment.

A Quick Look at What is Happening in Logistics Around the Globe

UK – Associated British Ports (ABP) has increased its capacity to store refrigerated containers at the Port of Hull. The installation of two new Reefer Gantries at the Humber Container Terminal on the port has now been completed. The works mean the new reefer gantries have increased the terminal's capacity by an additional 64 refrigerated containers.

Suspended Sailings Now See Service Shut Completely

SWEDEN – GERMANY – After already controversially making redundancies during the crisis, ferry operator Stena Line has now permanently closed its route between Trelleborg in Sweden and Sassnitz in Germany. Services on the route had already been suspended from March 14.

Industry Finds Ways to Help Support Others in the Front Line

WORLDWIDE – As well as being the business sector which is maintaining a situation for the whole of society as close to the status quo as is possible by maintaining the essential supply chain during the pandemic, logistics has seen countless players in the industry step up and do more than their fair share in supporting both the fight, and those at the forefront of it. Here are just a few examples which offer an insight into the timbre of the industry.

Pragmatic Decision in the Face of a Problematic Time

UK – Relations between the country's freight forwarding community and its customs and excise authorities are, on occasion, a little stressed, not least over the concerns that all is made ready for Brexit. Now however, with the outcome of negotiations with the EU firmly on the back burner, HMRC's latest move has been warmly welcomed.

Governments Asked to Act Collectively to Aid the Industry

WORLDWIDE – Naturally concerns are growing worldwide about the economic climate post-pandemic and one of the most fearful of industries is without doubt the airline business. Calls are being made in Britain and elsewhere for the governments to bail out the air carriers for the sake of preserving as many jobs as possible, much as the UK did for the banks in the last big economic crisis.

Pandemic Adds a New Layer of Risk for Port Agents

WORLDWIDE – Professional indemnity insurers the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) part of the Thomas Miller group, has issued advice that warns port agents of issues with receiving original bills of lading during an unprecedented episode in global commercial history.

Virus Has Increased Sea and Airfreight Rates and Reduced Cargo Capacity

CHINA – EUROPE – It seems the Covid-19 outbreak has reinvigorated the Silk Road multimodal cargo services which we saw developing support last year. In the UK freight forwarding outfit Davies Turner reports that its direct, fixed-day, weekly rail import service from China to the UK, which re-commenced in mid-March, has broken the previously achieved record transit time.

Redundancies, Furloughed Staff but There's One Upside for Food Banks

UK – British ferry routes are proving to be more than a little contentious in the current situation. With Stena and P&O both furloughing workers and making redundancies the odd contrast between passenger carriage and essential freight services are, as with air cargo, making for a completely revised situation for the carriers involved.

Energy Stakeholders Trial Substitutes

FINLAND – EUROPE – A group of companies with a wide span of abilities have embarked on a three year trial to explore how suitable fuel oils made from biomass and waste plastics are for power plants and marine diesel engines. The aim is to determine the most ecologically and economically sustainable way to replace fossil fuels, particularly for use in ships and heavy equipment on land.

Scrap It and Use the Cash to Reinvigorate Infrastructure

UK – We have written previously illustrating the views of Lord Tony Berkeley on the future of Britain's rail infrastructure, a subject he knows a considerable amount about having headed up the Rail Freight Group (RFG) and as a board member of the European Rail Freight Association (ERFA). He was also Deputy Chair on the Oakervee HS2 enquiry, until summarily dismissed, along with the rest of the panel leaving only ex HS2 Chairman Douglas Oakervee to complete the report on the project alone.

Union Warns Operator to Tread with Caution

UK – IRELAND – Having made much last week of how it was going to maintain the bulk of its European freight and passenger ferry services, this week Stena Line has announced that it plan to furlough 600 employees with 150 redundancies across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The move has met with some disapproval from the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) whose union represents the company's shore based employees.

Insurance Cover and More Available Welcomed by Freight Forwarders

UK – One side effect of the current crisis sees a softening of the government's attitude toward export guarantees with the news that the Department for International Trade (DIT) today outlined measures to take the pressure off exporters and investors trading internationally, offering details of financial support, assistance with customs matters, as well as the already proposed measures to supply export insurance cover.

Feedback from Members Illustrates the Current State of Play

UK – One of the advantages of the professional Associations which represent different sectors of the logistics industry is the opportunity they have to discover the true statistics on any given subject courtesy of their membership, all of whom tend to be serious players in their profession. Today it is the turn of the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA) which has been looking at the current impact of the Covid-19 virus.

Outdated Charts Render a Ship Unseaworthy

CHINA – UK – WORLDWIDE – Court cases which decide on matters of law with regard to incidents at sea or in port are often of much wider interest due to the points raised or clarified, and of which other vessel owners or operators might otherwise remain ignorant, placing them in a situation where they themselves may one day be adversely affected. Such a case was decided recently in the Court of Appeal.

Global Harbours Resound Every Night to the Sound of Ships Horns

ABU DHABI – WORLDWIDE – Whilst people across Europe lean from their windows on Thursday nights to clap hands and bang pans to show gratitude to those helping manage the Covid-19 pandemic, on the seas of the world a slightly noisier acknowledgement in recognition and support of the maritime, healthcare, and critical sector personnel who continue to work in mission-critical roles to address the impact is occurring each evening.

From Birmingham to Benghazi and Beijing to Bratislava Our Industry Performs

WORLDWIDE – So, with all the self-acclaiming plaudits from stakeholders in the trade that the logistics industry continues to work through and keep the whole of society supplied by maintaining reliable supply chains, let's take a look at just a few of the instances around the globe of how sector players are actually helping the situation as the count of confirmed virus cases, and sadly the death toll, keep rising.

From Changing Ferry Services to a Particularly Spectacular Tribute for Those Keeping Us Going

BALTIC SEA – Due to the Covid-19 coronavirus, Viking Line will continue to keep services on the Baltic Sea at a reduced level. Four of the company's seven vessels will sail primarily with cargo between Finland and Sweden, the Åland Islands and Estonia to ensure security of supply. Passenger traffic has virtually come to a standstill following the authorities' restrictions. Demand for cargo transport remains high.

Staff Movements Continue Despite Global Pandemic

GERMANY – IRELAND – Dachser has announced a series of changes to its Executive team. After 31 years of close cooperation in operational management positions at Dachser, CEO Bernhard Simon and his deputy Michael Schilling, COO Road Logistics, will join the logistics provider's Supervisory Board in 2021, with Simon becoming its Chair. Burkhard Eling, who joined the Dachser Executive Board as CFO in 2013, will become the new CEO of the family-owned company on January 1, 2021.

Project Freight Forwarding Alive and Well

US – RUSSIA –So how does one move a 436-foot long by 220-foot wide semi-submersible mobile spacecraft launch platform? It seems project freight forwarding, which always provides some of the most interesting trade case studies, continues to turn up with the goods as this epic demonstrates.

Naval Patrol Boat Sinks After Act of Belligerence

VENEZUELA – The country, suffering under sanctions due to the US and a batch of other nations claiming its government has no legitimacy, lost one of its naval vessels this week in the most bizarre of circumstances when it deliberately rammed a cruise ship.

Water Jet System Accepted as Suitable by Another State

QATAR – We have been tracking the progress of the partnership between HullWiper, which uses remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROVs) to clean the hulls of a range of ships, and international shipping group GAC, since 2014 and now the pair have again entered new territory.

Wharfies Refuse to Work if Crews Do Not Self Isolate

AUSTRALIA – Maritime union representatives are up in arms at what they claim are blatant breaches of the anti-virus precautions guidelines prescribed by the Federal government. The argument arises as three more container ships arriving from Asian ports are scheduled to discharge with no quarantine measures in force.

Undersea Route Publishes Latest Figures

UK – FRANCE – In the face of the virus all bets are off when it comes to performance figures in every facet of commercial life. It is interesting to note therefore how the latest statistics from Getlink stack up as the company provides a unique environment for both passengers and freight vehicles passing between the two countries.

Shore Based Container Rates are Intended to Serve Two Purposes

WORLDWIDE – In these unprecedented times the concern is that many companies, faced with strains put on their businesses through no fault of their own, may well go to the wall. The organisation which represents the international freight forwarding community has therefore put a proposition to all shipping lines, ports and terminals to exercise restraint in their levying of demurrage and detention charges.

Mutual Insurer says Communication is the Key to Combat Contract Disputes

UK – WORLDWIDE – Everybody in the field of logistics realises the importance of their industry to society at this terrible time. Over the coming weeks there will be considerable uncertainty for stakeholders through the entire transport industry as the global economy slows, governments prioritise specific supplies, consumer spending decreases and personnel shortages become more prevalent. However, the need for the supply chain of essentials, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment, to remain robust and efficient will be more critical than ever.

Despite the Virus UK Group Keeps the Wheels Turning

UK – As Britain's largest independently owned freight forwarding group Davies Turner has doubtless seen some ups and downs in its 150 year history. However, as Covid-19 grips the world the pandemic has done nothing to dent the attitude of those in the logistics sector who are charged with maintaining the country's supply chain.

Two Revolutionary European Projects Take Shape

EUROPE – FRANCE – NORWAY – The FLAGSHIPS project, funded by the EU to help make water borne commercial craft more eco friendly, and which we reported on last year, is taking strides towards its twin aims of creating a hydrogen fuel cell and power system for a Norwegian public ferry service and developing a push boat for barges in the Lyon region.