Industry News
Ian Matheson, from Impress Communications, reviews some recent news that might impact on Members’ business
Network Rail offers track access discounts
container line operators topped 20% in the second quarter of 2024, the highest since the COVID-19 pandemic, as the tonnage overhang was absorbed by the Red Sea crisis. Carriers with strong spot exposure to Far East exports performed best in the latest quarter. China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) has revealed a design it is developing that will increase a containership’s capacity to 27,500 teu. Finnlines has started a new direct weekly ro-ro shipping service connecting the ports of Helsinki and Kotka with Sheerness, which also offers onward connections to Belgium and Spain. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, overcapacity, high costs and uncertain demand shape an alarming 2025 container-shipping outlook. The offsetting 300% increase in freight rates over recent months — driven by Houthi rebels’ Red Sea attacks — may not last long as the industry responds. IN THE AIR Air cargo looks set to continue its precedent-setting volume growth, driven by booming e-commerce, and to have a bright long-term future despite a looming capacity crunch, according to Ryan Keyrouse, co-founder and chief executive of the Rotate consultancy, speaking at the EU Cross-Border E-commerce Forum, held in Liege, Belgium, In mid-September, DSV announced its biggest transaction to date after signing an agreement to acquire Schenker from Deutsche Bahn for EUR14.3billion, claiming that the acquisition will strengthen DSV’s global network, expertise and competitiveness. in September. IN BUSINESS
OVERLAND Train operators have been offered the opportunity to gain discounts on their track access charges by Network Rail in a bid to encourage new business to the railway, particularly freight. The relevant charges would be waived in full for six months whilst new traffic is being established. Freightliner has launched its ECO90 booking service, offering the ability to move as little as one container, across any rail route, on a carbon- reduced service utilising alternative fuels, giving customers, no matter their size or scale, complete flexibility
started re-routing their ships around Africa in response to the growing impact of attacks in the Red Sea on shipping and global supply chains. This has led to significant adjustments in shipping services and a shift in cargo volumes, putting pressure on infrastructure, resulting in increased port congestion, delays and shortages of capacity and equipment. ON THE QUAYSIDE In North Wales, construction work has finally started on a border control post at the Port of Holyhead, which will carry out post-Brexit checks on goods from the Republic of Ireland. The container throughput of Chinese ports was 190.9 million teu from January to July 2024, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%, according to the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China. It added that Shanghai Port recorded a container throughput of 4.84million teu, reflecting a 15.1% year-on-year growth rate. ON THE OCEAN P&O Ferries has launched its ‘Turn-up and Go’ space charter with Irish Ferries on the Dover-Calais route and says that this is a material improvement for freight customers as they will be offered the next available departure when they arrive at the port on a ‘first come, first served’ principle, regardless of which company operates it. This means ships should always be fully loaded for freight at peak times, allowing freight to clear the port up to 25% faster. Alphaliner’s report in early September stated that margins for the nine largest
and control to manage and reduce their own carbon emissions. According to media reports, data published by AP Møller- Maersk shows that the number of vessels navigating the Suez Canal has dropped by 66% since shipping companies
With customs offices on both sides of the Channel, we offer a streamlined end-to-end service with a single instruction.
4 | October 2024
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