Newsletter – May 23, 2018

AIR FREIGHT

Joint IATA-CIFFA Letter Confirms Suspension of IFACP in Canada; IATA Canadian Air Cargo Program Remains Active
source : CIFFA
On May 22, IATA and CIFFA released a joint letter to all forwarders participating in the IATA Canadian Air Cargo Program addressing the IFACP pilot in Canada.
There was strong support for the new IATA-FIATA Air Cargo Program (IFACP), with some 80% – a vast majority of the IATA cargo agency community in Canada – having signed and returned their IFACP Forwarder Agreements and with Canada the global pilot for the new program.

IATA and FIATA “continue to assess the valuable experiences gained from the Canadian market during this pilot in order to ensure an effective launch of the IFACP in the future globally,” the letter said.
In view thereof, the IATA-FIATA Governance Board (IFGB), which governs the IFACP, met in early March to conduct a thorough review of the experience and lessons learned and to evaluate various new proposals in respect of the IFACP Forwarder Agreement.

In order to allow sufficient time to thoroughly review and consider these new proposals, the IFGB decided to suspend the implementation of the IFACP in Canada until further notice.
As a result, the letter confirmed that the IATA Canadian Air Cargo Program remains active and forwarders’ status as IATA Cargo Intermediary remains valid.

Lufthansa To Add ‘Economy Light’ Fares To North America
source: news.airwise.com
Lufthansa Group has announced the introduction of Economy Light fares on routes between Europe and North America, launching in time for the summer travel season. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Mediterranean Shipping Co is imposing a bunker surcharge as it battles a sharp jump in fuel prices.
source: lloydsloadinglist.com
“Fuel prices are up more than 30% this year, and almost 70% since last June. Prices in Europe exceeded $442/mt last week. With crude oil today hovering around $80 a barrel — the highest since 2014 — the situation is no longer sustainable without emergency action,” the container shipping line explained.  Read more here.

Moves to cut legal dwell time mulled in Port of Mumbai
source: shippingazette.com
TO reduce legal container dwell time at Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) will apply to the Tariff Authority for Major Ports to cut free time for rail cargo from seven to three days, reports IHS Media.  Read more here.

Maersk Line expands Canada-Europe transatlantic service
source: canadianshipper.com
Toronto, ON — Maersk Line announced the expansion of its product portfolio between Europe’s Mediterranean region and Canada to cater for the growing demands of importers and exporters on both sides of the Atlantic. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

CP Rail union will call for talks to resume if contract rejected Friday
source :canadianshipper.com
Montreal — The union representing Canadian Pacific Railway train operators says it will immediately ask for negotiations to resume once the company’s three-year contract offer is rejected by members Friday afternoon. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Travel Time is the Key to Lowering Labor Costs in Your Distribution Center
source: supplychain247.com
It’s common knowledge that one of the highest costs in a DC is labor, and that the most labor time is spent on picking, but what is often overlooked is that the majority of picking time is spent on travel, therefore, the key to reducing labor costs in your DC is to focus on reducing pickers’ travel time. Read more here.