Newsletter – August 30, 2021

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

India’s Commercial Flight Ban Extended Through To September 30th

simpleflying.com
COVID-19 related restrictions continue to hamper international travel in India. The DGCA, India’s aviation regulator, announced on August 29th that all scheduled international flights remain suspended until September 30th. The ban, which came into effect in March 2020 and has been extended several times since then, now enters its 18th month. Read more here.

Canada Bans Passenger Flights From Morocco

simpleflying.com
The Canadian government has announced that it is suspending all direct commercial and private passenger flights from Morocco. Effective until at least the end of September. The ban goes into effect at 00:01 EDT on August 29th. In accordance, airlines have already started to cancel flights. Read more here.

Self-Driving Electric Cars Could Mean The End Of Short Haul Flights

forbes.com
One of the worst forms of transport for CO2 emissions is domestic and short haul flying. Research from the BBC via BEIS/Defra in 2019 revealed that flights on routes of 700km (438 miles) or less produce 29% more CO2 per person per km or mile travelled than longer flights. But self-driving battery-electric vehicles could drastically reduce the need for this form of transport, or even render it obsolete, and slash emissions in the process. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Chip shortages send car carriers into reverse

splash247.com
Car carrier firms, having been hit very hard by the onset of the pandemic last year, are now facing up to renewed depressed volumes thanks to a global shortage of semiconductors.
At the onset of the pandemic the car carrier sector was one of the worst affected shipping segments, with huge swathes of the fleet sent into layup. Read more here.

Owners urged to carry out surveys outside of China as tough new quarantine measures come into place

splash247.com
Ship repair and general drydocking operations have become more tricky in China, where authorities are introducing many measures to halt the spread of the delta variant of Covid-19.The Dalian local government has just introduced measures whereby surveyors attending ship repair and drydock facilities have to live in a defined inclusion zone for the duration of the ship repair. This requires surveyors to quarantine for the duration of the work, typically two to three weeks depending on the refit. Read more here.

US appoints port envoy to address supply chain disruptions

splash247.com
The White House and the US Department of Transportation have appointed a port envoy to the Biden-Harris Administration Supply Chain Disruptions Task Force. John Porcari – who served as the US deputy secretary of transportation in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013 – will work with transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg and the National Economic Council to tackle congestion at US ports. Read more here.

Ocean freight rates rise for 19th consecutive week

lloydsloadinglist.com
Despite and because of a further worsening in container shipping vessel reliability, ocean freight spot rates rose again this week for the 19th consecutive week, according to the latest World Container index assessed by Drewry, as continuing global container shipping disruptions continue to drive up prices. Read more here.

Philippine companies extend help to producers hit by shipping crisis

seanews.com.tr
TWO Philippine companies – Davao-based Reefer Express Line Filipinas and Logistics firm Royal Cargo Inc – announced that they will launch direct shipping routes to the US, which are expected to bring relief to exporters who cannot find vessels due to the global shipping crisis.
Davao-based Reefer Express Line Filipinas said it will ship goods from Mindanao to the US at lower rates, which logistics firm Royal Cargo Inc said it will also ship agricultural products directly to the US. Read more here.