Newsletter – January 15, 2020

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Former Martinair executive extradited to US on cargo price fixing charges

aircargonews.net

A former Martinair executive has been extradited to the US to face charges related to cargo price fixing after ten years on the run.

Maria Ullings, a Dutch national, was originally indicted in 2010 by the US District Court in Atlanta for allegedly participating in a global conspiracy to fix air cargo prices, says the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Read more here.

Exporta adds collapsible cardboard crate for air cargo

aircargonews.net

Cardboard box firm Exporta has launched a collapsible cardboard crate targeting the air cargo market.

Exporta said it decided to launch the crate after it identified a gap in the market for a lightweight, but robust and reusable, crate. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Panama Canal Introduces Freshwater Surcharge

maritime-executive.com

Due to changing rainfall patterns and historic low water levels at Gatun Lake, the main source of water for the waterway, the Panama Canal has announced a new freshwater surcharge beginning February 15.

Despite the use of extensive water-conservation measures, this past year’s rainfall was 20 percent below the historic average and the fifth driest year in 70 years. It follows several years of lower than average rainfall coupled by a 10 percent increase in water evaporation levels due to a 0.5-1.5 degree Celsius rise in temperature. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

CP Enacts Winter Operating Plan and Train-Length Restrictions Due to Extreme Cold Weather

Due to the extreme cold from the B.C. interior to the Prairie operating region (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) and Northern Ontario, CP’s winter operating plan and train-length restrictions have been enacted. Customers should expect near-term delays of 24 to 48 hours. The cold weather is expected to continue through this week.

Certain winter weather conditions require adjustments to our operations to ensure safety, network resiliency, system velocity and capacity. Customers also play a role in preparing for challenging winter conditions by keeping intermodal equipment free from snow and ice buildup.

For up-to-date information on impacts to specific shipments, contact Customer Service at 1-888-333-8111 or customer_service@cpr.ca.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

U.S. Won’t Cut More China Tariffs Until After November Vote

bloomberg.com

Existing tariffs on billions of dollars of Chinese goods coming into the U.S. are likely to stay in place until after the American presidential election, and any move to reduce them will hinge on Beijing’s compliance with the terms of a phase-one trade accord, people familiar with the matter said. Read more here.