Newsletter – June 30, 2021

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

New air freight security rules begin tomorrow

lloydsloadinglist.com
Air freight stakeholders are bracing for possible disruptions as new global air freight security rules come into force tomorrow requiring that 100% of international air cargo transported on freighter aircraft is treated and screened to the same security standards as those required for cargo carried on passenger aircraft.  Read more here.

How Extreme Heat Impacts Aircraft Operations

simpleflying.com
Considering the range of temperatures aircraft can fly in, you might think extreme heat would not put much stress on a modern plane. But extreme heat can have a big impact on a plane’s ability to operate efficiently and safely. As a result, extreme heat is a risk many airlines have to manage and mitigate. Read more here.

Cathay Cargo to add more preighters ahead of peak season crunch

aircargonews.net
Cathay Pacific Cargo has revealed plans to remove the seats from two more of its aircraft as it predicts an industry-wide capacity shortfall for the peak season.
The Hong Kong-headquartered carrier said that while its passenger network is slowly growing, it will offer around 30% of its normal capacity in the fourth quarter, which “leaves a shortfall in vital belly space against anticipated demand for the peak season”. Read more here.

Without changes, warehouses could ground drone deliveries

freightwaves.com
Maybe not today, and not likely tomorrow, but one day soon, many Americans will receive their first e-commerce delivery by drone. For residents in select areas of the country – North Carolina, Arkansas and Ohio among others – drones are already making deliveries to the home.
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Walmart (NYSE: WMT), UPS (NYSE: UPS) and Kroger (NYSE: KR) are among the large retailers and delivery providers that are rapidly scaling up drone delivery tests. Others will soon follow. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

China boosts container numbers to ease delays and asks carriers to add port calls

theloadstar.com
China claims it has taken significant steps to ease the impact of tight container shipping capacity by boosting the availability of empty boxes and raising production of new units.
The Ministry of Transport (MoT) has also asked the major liner operators to add more calls to Chinese ports to increase capacity on export routes. Read more here (login required).

Ocean to air conversions surge as box congestion issues worsen

lloydsloadlinglist.com
Air freight exports from China and other parts of Asia are picking up again as worsening congestion and capacity issues add to backlogs of ocean freight cargo and increase the volumes of ocean-to-air freight conversions – increasingly including some non-premium consumer goods being shipped by air. Read more here.

Carriers’ response to Yantian crisis avoided ‘bigger problems’

lloydsloadinglist.com
A swift response by carriers to the ongoing congestion issues at Yantian port has contained the impact, according to a leading liner shipping consultancy.
The partial closure of the major Chinese export hub for a month has added pressure to the already stretched global supply chain.
While port operations resumed last week, the ripple effect is expected to continue into the coming month.  Read more here.

Maersk targets transpacific premium market with extra standalone services

theloadstar.com
Maersk will launch two new weekly services on the transpacific in August to operate “exclusively” outside its 2M alliance with MSC and Zim slot charter partnership.
It said the services were timed to coincide with “the incoming peak surge” and it seems likely they will be targeted at the highly lucrative premium market. Read more here (login required).

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

Severe hot weather conditions

cnrail.com
Please be advised that we are currently experiencing severe hot weather conditions across our Canadian network resulting in heat restrictions from Western Canada to the Maritimes.
Large temperature fluctuations cause thermal expansion and contraction in rail. In extreme cases, this can have an adverse effect on rail infrastructure. CN uses advanced rail metallurgy and rail properties, along with a variety of standards, policies, and operating procedures to mitigate risks associated with thermal expansion.
One of these operating procedures are hot weather inspections which are required when ambient temperature exceeds pre-determined thresholds, or in the event of receiving a notification of a sudden temperature spike. Hot weather inspections are typically performed between 11:00 and 22:00, or as needed to protect railway operations.
What does this mean for you? While our hot weather inspection may lead to minimal delays, they are a critical aspect of ensuring safe and efficient operations across our network through the warmer months. Speed restrictions are applied to offset thermal expansion and internal rail forces due to extreme ambient temperatures. Customers should expect some delays.