-
03
Apr
Newsletter – April 3, 2020
AIR FREIGHT UPDATES
Pilots raise concern with FAA about protection from coronavirus
freightwaves.comPilots are calling on the Federal Aviation Administration to make sure airlines are following federal health guidelines for notifying workers when a colleague tests positive for the coronavirus and properly disinfecting cockpits. Read more here.
OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES
Indian container ports struggle with extreme congestion
splash247.comIndia’s major container ports are facing severe congestion as import containers are stacking up amid the 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus.The Container Freight Stations Association of India (CFSAI) has warned that its member units in Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mundra, Pipavav and Hazira have been removing import laden boxes that are not being cleared by importers from all terminals to nearby container freight stations (CFS). Read more here.
Carriers start to look at the Cape route to Europe
splash247.comWith utilisation rates dropping fast, container carriers are looking at soaking up some capacity and avoiding shelling out for toll fees by sending some of their ships from Asia to Europe via the Cape of Good Hope rather than the Suez Canal, Splash can exclusively reveal. Read more here.
Ocean Network Express issues its first electronic bill of lading
canadianshipper.comSingapore — Carrier ONE plans to roll out globally an electronic bill of lading through its customer portal starting in the second quarter of 2020.Ocean Network Express (ONE), the world’s sixth largest container line by TEU capacity, and essDOCS announced that ONE recently handled its first ever electronic, negotiable Bill of Lading (eB/L) via essDOCS’ paperless document solution, CargoDocs. Read more here.
CANADA – BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
Government of Canada Provides Guidance on Services and Functions Deemed Essential to Canada’s Critical Infrastructure During COVID-19
ciffa.comYesterday, the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness released “Guidance on Essential Services and Functions in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic” to assist various jurisdictions and businesses in their decision-making around the types of employees considered essential to maintain the health, safety, security and economic well-being of Canadians throughout this health crisis.The guidance document provides a list of services and functions across Canada’s 10 critical infrastructure sectors: Energy and Utilities, Information and Communication Technologies, Finance, Health, Food, Water, Transportation, Safety, Government and Manufacturing.Essential transportation workers are defined as workers supporting or enabling transportation functions in any transportation mode (i.e., road, air, rail, marine), in support of the continued essential movement of goods and people, in circumstances where non-essential travel is restricted. A non-comprehensive list of workers is included in the guidance.The guidance is intended to support critical infrastructure employers in identifying and managing their workforce, while fostering alignment and harmonization across sectors. It is non-binding and advisory in nature, and should not be considered to be a federal directive or standard.
INTERNATIONAL – BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
UPS, FedEx suspend service guarantees citing coronavirus impact
supplychaindive.comDive Brief:FedEx and UPS suspended their respective service guarantees last week, citing expected delays and disruptions related to the global coronavirus response. Read more here.
Supply chains will survive the pandemic, but revised strategies may take hold
supplychaindive.comShortages of medical equipment, sanitary supplies and even toilet paper have thrust the importance of the supply chain into daily news feeds. And while some pundits demand a retreat from global sourcing, those that work in supply chain management see things a bit differently. Read more here.