Newsletter – December 7, 2021

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Air Canada Cargo prepares to launch freighter operations

aircargonews.net
Air Canada Cargo has taken delivery of the first of eight freighters as it prepares to re-launch dedicated all-cargo operations.
Earlier this year the airline announced plans to convert surplus B767-300 aircraft into a freighter configuration.
The first of the aircraft has now been delivered and will “commence operations soon”, Air Canada said. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Hapag-Lloyd diverts vessel to Mexico after COVID outbreak

freightwaves.com
Container line Hapag-Lloyd said Monday that one of its vessels diverted to Ensenada, Mexico, to evacuate three crew members with COVID-19 to a hospital.
The German carrier said the MV Rome Express, a container ship with the capacity to carry 12,552 twenty-foot equivalent units that operates on its Transpacific East Coast loop, made an unexpected port call in Ensenada after five crew members contracted the virus. Read more here.

Surcharges widespread amid equipment shortages, congestion

hellenicshippingnews.com
All-inclusive trans-Pacific container shipping rates to North America strengthened in the week ended Dec. 3, as shortages of equipment and carrying capacity in North Asia worsened amid steady demand from cargo loaders.
Premium rates were offered in a wide range by various shipping lines but were mostly $12,000-$14,000/FEU for shipments from China to the US West Coast and $16,000-$18,000/FEU for sailings to the US East Coast. Read more here.

Ships divert to avoid calling South Africa

splash247.com
Ships have diverted to avoid South Africa in the days since the omicron variant of Covid-19 was first reported.
Exclusive data from MarineTraffic shows nine ships have changed their destination from a South African port to somewhere else since November 29. Read more here.

‘Abandoned’ exporters scrambling for space prompt more ad hoc charters

theloadstar.com
Asian exporters “abandoned” by Maersk are scrambling for deals with rival carriers, inspiring a fresh wave of ad hoc charters to North European ports for next month.
The “strategic transformation” of its ocean business, announced by Maersk earlier this year, has resulted in many smaller forwarders and NVOCCs finding that  after 1 January, the carrier will no longer accept their bookings – other than through the Maersk Spot platform. Read more here (login required).

Lawyers initiate first claims against carriers for boxes lost from ONE Apus

theloadstar.com
Last winter was an exceptional period for cargo losses on the North Pacific trades, with many containers lost in storms – not least from the ONE Apus, which lost more than 1,800 containers.
The 14,000 teu ship was en route to California when a storm dislodged container stacks which toppled into the sea, damaging lower-stacked containers as they fell. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

CN reopens key Port of Vancouver rail line — again

freightwaves.com
CN has resumed service on its Kamloops-Vancouver corridor, the Canadian railway said on Monday, restoring a critical rail link to the Port of Vancouver.
The rail corridor was shut down three weeks ago as a result of damages brought by flooding and landslides that devastated British Columbia. CN (NYSE: CNI) had briefly restored service two weeks later before shutting it down again as a precautionary measure. Read more here.

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Deferral of eHBL Informed Compliance Period

ciffa.com
On December 3, CIFFA received notice from the CBSA regarding eManifest rollout and the end of the informed compliance period. Due to a strong lobbying effort on the part of the Executive Director, CIFFA was successfully granted an extension of the informed compliance period until January 31, 2022.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

White House port envoy details strategy for supply chain fluidity

freightwaves.com
The response to the supply chain crisis at ports was disjointed until the White House got involved, says port envoy John Porcari.
In a lengthy interview on the Bloomberg podcast “Odd Lots,” the supply chain czar said the Biden administration is acting as an honest broker to get cooperation from industry and local jurisdictions that usually act in their own self-interest, using carrots and sticks to make small improvements while building toward more systemic improvements. Read more here.