Newsletter – February 9, 2023

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

International Airlines Are Returning To China En Mass

simpleflying.com
As we head into February 2023, major international airlines are resuming or ramping up their international flights to and from China following a complete relaxation of COVID-related restrictions for international flight operations.
After a long disruption due to the coronavirus pandemic, the country is once again becoming a destination for global aviation. The Chinese government has quickly recognized the importance of aviation to the country’s economy recovery. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Maersk seeks supply-chain overhaul as chaos roils global trade

ajot.com
Increasing volatility in global supply chains means shipping lines must undergo a radical restructuring to survive, according to A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S.
“The way that supply chains have operated over the last number of decades is no longer fit for purpose,” Ditlev Blicher, president of Asia-Pacific for the shipping line, told reporters in Singapore on Monday. “We believe this environment of increased volatility is here to stay, and it will likely accelerate.” Read more here.

Fire under control at Iskenderun Port

splash247.com
Firefighting continued this morning at the severely damaged container terminal at Iskenderun in southern Turkey three days after the site was hit hard by a massive earthquake.
Turkey’s Maritime General Directorate yesterday announced that the fire at Iskenderun Limak Terminal had been brought under control after efforts from sea, air, and land. However, TV images this morning show there’s still plenty of dark plumes of smoke billowing from the terminal. Authorities insist today’s firefighting efforts are aimed at cooling, and the fire has been contained. Read more here.

January imports up from December, but February is looking weak

freightwaves.com
In January, U.S. containerized imports logged their highest month-on-month gain since last May, according to data from Descartes. Inbound volumes rose 7.2% versus December to 2,068,493 twenty-foot equivalent units, Descartes reported Wednesday.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that last month’s imports were almost identical to Descartes’ imports stats for January 2019 and 2020, pre-pandemic. Read more here.

HMM creates digital system to track and move empty containers

theloadstar.com
South Korea’s flagship container carrier HMM has designed its own online system to locate and exchange empty containers with other companies.
The company yesterday applied to patent its HMM Container Interchange Platform (HIP). Read more here. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMETN UPDATES

Cargo thefts spike 15% across US, Canada in 2022

freightwaves.com
The end of 2022 saw a surge in cargo thefts that pushed the yearly total to above an estimated $223 million worth of goods stolen across Canada and the U.S., according to recent data from CargoNet.
The Verisk Analytics-owned data firm, which tracks voluntarily reported cargo thefts, recorded 1,778 “supply chain risk incidents” in Canada and the U.S. in 2022, a 15% jump compared to 2021. Read more here.