Newsletter – February 27, 2019

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Pakistan Closes Airspace

Due to recent escalation of tensions between Pakistan & India, the Pakistan government has decided to temporarily close down Pakistan’s air space.
All commercial flights into Karachi, Lahore, Faisalabad & Islamabad airports have been suspended and this is to avoid any untoward incident from happening. Airlines have requested not to tender any shipments at the moment. Read article from the International News.  

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Canada West Coast Ports: Longer-than-Normal Dwell Times

ciffa.com
In a notice to customers, a CIFFA member indicated that “import ocean freight containers destined for Canadian inland points that are transiting through the Port of Vancouver and Prince Rupert have been experiencing longer than normal dwell times. This is due to a number of factors, including (but not limited to), severe weather conditions, cargo volume surges, and ongoing rail car shortages.”
According to the notice, current estimated dwell times at both ports are 7 to 15 days.

MEA Negotiations UPDATE (Bulletin II)

mea.ca
The present letter constitutes the second communication, following the one sent on January 10, 2019. In regards to the ongoing negotiations of the collective agreement, between the Maritime Employer’s Association and the Longshoremen’s Union, CUPE Local 375, which expired on December 31, 2018. The following is a brief summary of the situation as of February 20, 2019:
•The MEA and the union are presently in mediation. Meetings are scheduled during the months of March and April 2019.
•The MEA has presented a request to maintain essential services with the Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB).
•There have been hearings in the first two weeks of February 2019.
•More hearings at the CIRB are expected within the months of March and April 2019.
•In view of the request to maintain essential services, the parties do not have the right to strike or lock-out.

Port congestion crisis grows at Manila

splash247.com
As Manila faces up to its worst port congestion crisis since the crippling box crunch of 2014, stakeholders including terminal operators and the Bureau of Customs have proposed to put up shared depots for empty containers outside the capital. Read more here. 

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

New program designed to help fleet owners fill empty backhauls

canadianshipper.com
Maynard, MA — Kuebix, introduced FleetMAX, a program designed to fill the empty backhauls of private fleets and offer much needed truckload capacity to the marketplace. Fleet owners can now eliminate empty miles and generate additional profit by making backhaul fleet capacity available to Kuebix’s vast community of shippers and brokers. Read more here. 

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Vancouver May ‘Literally Run Out of Industrial Space’ by 2020s

bloomberg.com
The market for industrial space is so hot in Vancouver the city may run out of land for the sector, according to brokerage CBRE Ltd.
The city’s location between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean have always led to elevated real estate prices but the e-commerce revolution has turbo-charged demand for warehouse space. Industrial rents spiked 16 percent to a record C$11.86 ($8.99) per square foot last year, the highest in Canada, according to a report Tuesday by the Toronto-based brokerage.  Read more here.