Newsletter – August 17, 2023

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Frankfurt Airport Flooded And Flights Canceled As Thunderstorm Rolls Through

simpleflying.com
Frankfurt Airport had to curtail operations as heavy rain lashed the city on Wednesday. Dozens of flights were canceled, and there were instances of passengers unable to disembark from aircraft after they had landed due to the flooding of the airport premises.
On August 16th, Frankfurt Airport (FRA) saw severe flight disruption after it was water-logged following thunderstorms and heavy rains. Videos circulating on social media show planes parked at the airport with surrounding areas flooded with water. Deutsche Welle reported that some passengers were also unable to disembark from aircraft that had managed to land. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Planning is key to navigating festivals in peak season

container-news.com
Peak shipping season is already in full swing as shippers prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, but carriers are warning that shippers should also be aware that two major holidays could disrupt supply chains in this period.
Golden Week in China may be the more disruptive given that major manufacturing centres will shut down during the first week of October, but the five-day Hindu festival of Diwali, this year starting on 12 November, will have an effect. Read more here.

Zim down $1.5bn on Q2 22 and facing overcapacity as new ships arrive

theloadstar.com
Zim’s extreme first-quarter optimism may not quite have turned to despair, but another quarterly loss and no sign of a peak have left its outlook decidedly more conservative.
Indeed, Q2’s $213m net loss is four times that recorded in the three months to March ($58m), and well off the $1.3bn profit recorded this time last year, but CFO Xavier Destriau remained circumspect. Read more here (login required).

Eight tons of cocaine found in Maersk container at Rotterdam

Dutch customs have recently made the largest-ever drug bust in the Port of Rotterdam by seizing eight tons of cocaine from a container aboard a Maersk containership.
According to the Dutch Public Prosecution Service, the drugs represent an “enormous” street value of €600m ($653m). Read more here.

US Maritime Administration designates two new marine highway routes

container-news.com
The United States Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) has announced the designation of two new marine highway routes, M-11 in Alaska and M-79 in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
The newly designated routes are part of the US Marine Highway Program (MHP) and are expected to help speed up the movement of goods, strengthen supply chains, and support local economies in the aforementioned regions. Read more here.

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

MPA Announces Appoitment of Interim President and CEO

port-montreal.com
Montreal, Tuesday, August 15, 2023— The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) announces the appointment of Geneviève Deschamps as Interim President and Chief Executive Officer. This appointment will be effective as of August 21, 2023. Mrs. Deschamps is currently Vice-President, Finance. Read more here.