Newsletter – April 5, 2018

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

IATA warns over protectionism as cargo traffic continues to grow

source: aircargonews.net

Air cargo traffic continued to improve in February, but IATA has again warned of the impact protectionism could have on the market.

According to the latest IATA figures, cargo traffic in freight tonne km terms increased by 6.8% in February, while over the first two months of the year demand is up 7.7%. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Heavy Fog Affecting Shanghai Port Operations

source: CIFFA

A CIFFA member reports that heavy fog in Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta area between March 27 and April 2 has “severely affected ocean freight carrier services and operations at both WaiGao Qiao & Yangshan terminals in Shanghai.”

According to the member, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration has advised that more than 1,550 barges and ships are delayed along the Yangtze River channel and that ocean-going sailing schedules are affected. It may take two to three weeks for operations to return to normal in Shanghai.

Container shipping set for slow and steady recovery

source: lloydloadinglist.com

Container shipping is set for a period of slow and steady recovery in 2018 and 2019 as the combination of healthy demand growth that will outpace fleet capacity increases results in a better supply-demand balance and slightly higher freight rates – and profits for carriers. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

French rail freight begins recovery after first two-day strike

source: lloydloadinglist.com

After the first in a series of two-day strikes over the next three months at SNCF ended earlier today, the French state rail operator is already setting down plans to limit the impact on freight services of the next 48-hour stoppage, beginning on 8 April. Read more here

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESSS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

US shippers may recall or divert tariff-hit exports as trade war with China heats up

source: theloadstar.co.uk

US agricultural shippers are considering diverting or bringing back shipments hit by new tariffs which are already ‘on the water’.

The latest salvo in what looks set to be a trade war has seen the US trade representative announce $12.5bn-worth of proposed tariffs on a wide variety of imports from China, including semi-conductors, car and aircraft parts. Read more here.

ATA’s Costello projects out the driver shortage, and it’s a big number

source: freightwaves.com

Calling it his “warning shot to the industry,” the chief economist of the American Trucking Associations foresees a grim future for the supply of truckload drivers in the U.S. over the next eight years. Read more here.