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20
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Newsletter – April 20, 2020
AIR FREIGHT UPDATES
Angry forwarders step up objections to ‘opportunistic’ handling surcharges
theloadstar.comForwarders are considering reporting air cargo handlers to competition authorities for what they claim may be opportunistic, and possibly co-ordinated, surcharges. Read more here.
TIACA pushes to facilitate airfreight as virus outbreak continues
aircargonews.netAt the latest Covid-19 Technical Group meeting, which took place on March 30, TIACA restated the “urgent need to provide immediate support to the air cargo sector”. Read more here.
AA Cargo implements ‘fair booking’ policy
lloydloadinglist.comAmerican Airlines Cargo has announced it will be implementing a “fair-booking policy” to address late changes or cancellations and to optimise space at a time when demand is critical, including late-cancellation fees that are currently seldom imposed within the air freight sector. Read more here.
OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES
Move boxes to private yards’ plea as Chittagong congestion worsens
theloadstar.comBangladesh customs authorities have allowed logistics operators to shift a further six types of goods in containers to private off-docks in a bid to reduce the number of containers in Chittagong’s yards.The authority have also asked importers to redirect Dhaka Rail Inland Container Depot-bound containers to a private box terminal near the capital by waterways. Read more here.
More transpacific blank sailings as US ports watch import throughput plummet
theloadstar.comThe 2M alliance partners today announced two more blank sailings from Asia to the US Gulf, seeing “further reduction in demand” on the route.The 5,048 teu MSC Nerissa deployed on the 2M’s TP88/Pelican Asia-USEC loop, on which Zim is also a vessel provider and which it dubs ZGX, will be held in China next week, as will the panamax 5,048 teu MSC Ans in week 20. Read more here.
GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES
Increasing lead times could be the new “Amazon effect” and potentially a problematic sign for LTL
freightwaves.comTender lead times—the amount of time between the load request submission and requested pickup date—have increased almost 17% y/y with 40% of the increase occurring since the start of April.While most of the increasing lead times occurred prior to the COVID-19 pandemic taking hold in the U.S., the rate of increase over the past two weeks has been much higher. Read more here.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
High-Speed LA-To-Las Vegas Virgin Train Wins $600 Million California Bond Allocation
forbes.com
Amid the broad economic slowdown triggered by the coronavirus, California has approved a $600 million private activity bond allocation for construction of the $5 billion Virgin Trains-Brightline railway that within four years could be whisking passengers from Las Vegas to a (distant) Los Angeles suburb at speeds of up to 200 miles an hour. Read more here.
UK could run out of warehouse space in two weeks as imports pile up
theloadstar.com
The UK could run out of warehouse capacity within a fortnight as imported goods pile up at storage locations and social lockdowns have devastated consumer demand.
According to a survey by the UK Warehousing Association (UKWA), published today, 90% of respondents reported facilities at full capacity and suggested the overall market had just 10% capacity available. Read more here.