Year in Review
This section of BIFA’s Annual Report 2021 summarises the activities of the trade association’s Air, Customs, Maritime, Road & Rail, and Legal & Insurance policy groups over the course of the year, as well as the work undertaken by Secretariat staff. In 2021, BIFA continued to engage with its 2021 was, by general consensus, one of the
formulate a coordinated and consistent response and also initiating engagement with the Department for Transport. BIFA continued to liaise with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) over matters of common interest including the driver shortage and its impact on service levels, wages and costs. The trade association also circulated information relating to the implementation of Clean Air and Ultra Low Emission Zones, particularly in and around the UK’s gateways for air and ocean transport. The group continued to stress the implications of undeclared/ misdeclared dangerous goods shipments and continued to highlight the problems of cargo-related crime in its various forms. In the Customs Arena In 2021, this group continued to deal with wider frontier activities, which include engagement with DEFRA regarding the movement of foodstuffs and related products, as well as the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) for licences for strategic goods. The policy group held four formal meetings and BIFA facilitated numerous ad hoc meetings between Members and HMRC and DEFRA, which covered various issues.
Ongoing high demand, and shortages of tonnage and containers, as well as port and service delays, continued to create major operational problems for Members offering ocean freight logistics services. Ironically the deep sea maritime mode was the least affected by EU-Exit, whilst cross border road freight activities were the most impacted. For the latter, the year saw a re- engineering of the supply chain, which moved from a transport-focused to fully-fledged freight forwarding and Customs processing functionality. In cross channel ro-ro and short sea container shipping between the EU and the UK, BIFA explained the regulatory changes that would affect the sector and the importance of considering the wider supply chain as the nature of cross- border trade changed. Thinking globally, the secretariat constantly monitored the container market providing Members with information which could be relayed to their clients to provide evidence of disruption, including port delays; higher sea freight rates; as well as quay rent and demurrage charges. Throughout the year potentially anti-competitive shipping line activity was monitored whilst liaising with CLECAT and FIATA in order to
most difficult years for the freight forwarding sector in living memory. There were local issues such as staff shortages, especially of skilled Customs intermediaries and drivers, in addition to international issues affecting the work of BIFA Members managing global supply chains. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continued to create significant problems for BIFA Members and the trade association. Productivity was affected as local lockdowns created a global patchwork of delays and inconsistencies, and in the UK we had to contend with the increased workload stemming from the UK leaving the EU. BIFA continued to work hard to meet Members’ needs regarding the incredibly difficult operating circumstances and help them to devise recovery processes via the dissemination of information about national and international supply chain disruption. On the Surface The Maritime, Road and Rail Policy Group discussed a number of issues in 2021, a year in which an incredibly difficult international container shipping market continued to impact on Members’ work.
membership informally through the provision of a ‘Helpdesk’ function and more formally via the four main policy groups. At local level, there continued to be engagement via regional meetings. Also, regional consultants responded to Member enquiries as appropriate and liaised with the BIFA Secretariat to obtain specialist assistance or request that the matter be brought to government attention for a response. In 2021, the policy groups continued to assist with the delivery of guidance and direction for the Association and its Secretariat, under the management and administration of the Policy & Compliance team and the executive management of the Secretariat. The policy groups reported to the BIFA Council through their respective chairs. In offering their valuable time and knowledge on an entirely voluntary basis, the members of each policy group made an important contribution to the Association’s work in the year, which we acknowledge and appreciate. In 2021, due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, all meetings with Members, government departments and other organisations were conducted virtually.
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BIFA Annual Report & Accounts 2021 | bifa.org
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