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Ian Matheson, from Impress Communications, reviews some recent news that might impact on Members’ business Multimodal bill of lading data standard unveiled
during a call by the MSC Amelia in early March.This beat the 25,852 teu handled by the Moscow Maersk the previous week and 23,773 teu handled by the MSC Diletta in early January 2022. Thames Freeport says it is experiencing sky high demand from businesses wanting to relocate to its investment zone, 12 months after the government’s announcement that it would be one of the first eight freeports nationwide. An array of businesses from a diverse range of sectors are seeking to take advantage of the substantial financial incentives offered by freeport status. IN THE AIR Global air freight markets recorded slower growth in January 2022, IATA reported, as supply chain
ON THE OCEAN On 10 March, FIATA and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) announced the official release of the electronic FIATA Multimodal Bill of Lading (eFBL) data standard. This was created on the basis of the mapping of the Negotiable FIATA Multimodal Transport Bill of Lading (FBL) with the UN/CEFACT MMT reference data model. It allows the exchange of BL data in a standardised way, facilitating interoperability between all modes of transport and industry stakeholders. The International Chamber of Shipping has warned of supply chain disruption should the free movement of Ukrainian and Russian seafarers be restricted as a result of the current situation in the Ukraine. These seafarers together represent 14.5% of a total global seafarer workforce of 1.89 million, operating over 74,000 vessels in the global merchant fleet. The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) have strengthened their partnership to jointly enforce antitrust and competition laws and to promote competition in the ocean freight transportation system. This follows the formalisation of their working relationship in July 2021 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding that established a framework for partnership between the FMC and the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. Sea-Intelligence has reported that global container line schedule reliability dropped to a new low of 30.9% in January this year, the lowest level reported by the analyst since it started monitoring schedule reliability in 2011. It added that any
disruptions and capacity constraints, as well as a deterioration in economic
hope that this year would see an improvement in supply issues has been quickly dashed with container line delays getting worse not better. MDS Transmodal (MDST) research, commissioned by the Global Shippers Forum (GSF), found that global ports lost over a third of their expected capacity to ship containers during 2021.This was a result of scheduled port calls being skipped and blank sailings by lines, creating delays and disruption for shippers and economic harm to some smaller developing nations. The huge spike in bunker fuel prices in March, driven by oil market volatility after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, promises significant increases to container freight rates via the traditional bunker adjustment factors (BAFs), which typically lag fuel price increases by one to two months. Forwarders and shippers already face record spot prices in many trades and elevated rates globally.
this summer, for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak. It is planning sailings from Portsmouth to Bilbao; a weekly rotation between Portsmouth and Cherbourg; services between Portsmouth and St Malo; Plymouth to Santander and Roscoff; Poole to Cherbourg; and two round-trips a week for passengers as well as freight on the Roscoff to Cork route. ON THE QUAYSIDE The forces that influence UK port operations are evolving and as the sector responds to new demands, the challenge of creating more sustainable and digitally-optimised port operations is highly likely to impact on the pipeline of skills and labour requirements in the sector, according to the British Ports Association (BPA). Its new report outlines the future skills agenda for port operators and their supply chain partners. The Port of Felixstowe broke its own record for the most containers handled on a single ship for the third time in two months, when a total of 27,961 teu were handled
conditions for the sector, dampened demand. Although cargo demand is tracking above pre-COVID-19 levels, capacity is still constrained. OVERLAND The International Road Transport Union (IRU) has joined the cacophony of shouts from all quarters for governments to act on the steeply rising price of road fuel for commercial vehicles. It wants fuel prices capped and fuel taxation cut, which it says are essential to avert a wider economic crisis.
IN THE WAREHOUSE There are early signs of wood
availability returning to established seasonal patterns, according to the Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON). However, supply chain difficulties continue to impact on the sector, including strong demand for timber from competing markets, higher raw material costs, widespread shortages of staff, and rising energy and fuel costs. The conflict in Ukraine has created further instability due to the country’s major role in pallet making.
Brittany Ferries is planning to operate a full complement of ships
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April 2022
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