Newsletter – January 16, 2018

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

US Airlines Post Improved On-Time Performance
source: news.airwise.com
US airlines had a good month in November for on-time performance and cancellations, with the on-time arrival rate the highest since the downturn following the global financial crisis in 2009. Read more here.

Boeing builds unmanned electric cargo air vehicle prototype
source: shippingonline.cn
US aircraft manufacturer Boeing has developed the prototype for an unmanned electric vertical-takeoff-and-landing (eVTOL) cargo air vehicle (CAV) that has a payload of up to 227 kilogrammes. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Canada Issues New Safety and Pollution Rules for Shipping in Arctic Waters
source: splash247.com
Transport Canada announced it has introduced new Arctic SHipping Safety and Pollution Prevention Regulation for vessels operating the country’s Arctic region. Read more here.

Evergereen Marine in for Twenty 11,000 TEU Boxships
source: splash247.com
Taiwanese shipping line Evergreen Marine has announced a major fleet expansion plan in which the compnay will bring in a total of twenty 11,000 TEU containereships, made up of eight new builds and another 12 vessels on charter. Read more here.

Port of LA 2017 container volume hits new record of 9.3m TEU
source: shippingonline.cn
THE Port of Los Angeles has set an all-time annual record for container throughput in 2017, moving 9.3 million TEU, an increase of 5.5 -percent 2016’s record-breaking year and the new high-water mark for the most cargo moved annually by a Western Hemisphere port. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

Quebec railway suffers flood damage
source: canadianshipper.com
Montreal, QC — The St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railway has suffered significant damage from the sudden rise in the water level of the St-François River in the district of Brompton in Sherbrooke during the night of Friday, January 12 to Saturday, January 13. Part of the railway bridge was washed away. Read more here.

Truck weight limit between Chittagong and Dhaka temporarily suspended
source: shippingonline.cn
THE Bangladesh government has bowed to pressure from the business community and has suspended a new axle load policy for three months, until March 15, as the policy had affected the movement of forty-foot container units (FEU) on the Chittagong-Dhaka highway. Read more here.

CANADIAN BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Weather, Congestion Delays Affect Supply Chain; Forwarders Feel the Heat
source: CIFFA
It was a Blue Monday indeed on January 15 as CIFFA members reported widespread congestion across the network.
Winter weather has wrought havoc across the country, on maritime vessel routes and on both coasts, with freeze, thaw, wind, rain, snow and ice taking turns disrupting fluidity in the supply chain.
On-dock footage at Port of Vancouver terminals has been on the increase. Members are concerned about the lack of railcar availability with fears the backlog will not resolve quickly. See footage, Cold weather means shorter trains.
A January 14 CN WInter Situation report showed extreme temperatures across the Prairies and Alberta.
Quebec railway suffers flood damage (from Canadian Shipper)
With heavy on-dock activity, ship dockings have been delayed as well. Berth congestion and rail network issues were cited in several vessel bulletins, as were delays due to bad-weather issues in the Pacific.
On January 15, CIFFA was informed of a dray operator that has begun implementing surcharges for wait times at container/intermodal yards. This applies to all loaded and empty containers and takes effect on January 15th, 2018 and was due to persistent wait times at container yards in Edmonton and Calgary, the operator reported.
After heavy storms on the East Coast, and several Maritime provinces dealing with flooding, rain and washout effect after a January thaw, maritime activity has been impacted.
In Halifax, some vessels were departing with reported 7-8 days’ delay due to accumulated delays from previous voyages and further delay because of the storm hitting the East Coast.
Adding to the cumulative delays, container exam waits at CBSA on the West Coast
Vancouver terminals are longer than usual, reported at 15 days and over.