Newsletter – January 2, 2018

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Global fleet of 14,000-TEUers plus to swell to 200 by end of 2018
Source:shippingtribune.com

THE global container shipping industry will take delivery of 108 ships in excess of 14,000 TEU, doubling the number of mega ships in operation to 200 by the end of 2018, according SeaIntel Maritime Analysis. SeaIntel said shipping alliances 2M and THE Alliance will phase-in the new vessels primarily to augment existing services and reduce unit costs by deploying a few more ultra-large vessels. Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

Bitter Cold Affects Rail Operations: Impacts Across the System
Source:ciffa.com

CN is experiencing the prolonged effects of severe cold weather conditions in our Canadian and U.S. Midwest rail network. As part of CN’s winter preparedness and train operating plan, when cold temperatures fall below -25°C, to ensure safe train operations, train length restrictions go into effect. As a result, our trains operating in the corridors from Toronto and Chicago through to Prince Rupert and Vancouver have to be shorter trains, which means subsequently reduced weekly intermodal capacity. To support our winter train operating plan, we have moved all available crews and locomotives into key locations. We have also established critical situation rooms in Canada and the U.S. to drive optimized traffic control. We are committed to moving your goods as safely and quickly as possible. However, the weather outlook predicts this Arctic cold will persist for another 7 to 10 days in key areas.

Freight Rail Analysis to Assess Impacts of Potential Rail Improvements in Peterborough-Toronto Corridor
Source:ciffa.com

The federal government announced funding in December for the Peterborough-Toronto Freight Rail Analysis project. Both the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario will contribute up to $65,000 to the project, which will define freight infrastructure requirements and outline the projected economic impact of potential future freight rail improvements along the Peterborough-Toronto-Havelock-Blue Mountain rail corridor. Specifically, the project will evaluate the benefits and impacts associated with enabling increased freight rail capacity along the corridor. Read more here.

 CANADIAN BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Truck Turnaround for Major ACI AMPS Penalties Extended

The Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) was notified in December by the CBSA that the truck turnaround option for major ACI AMPS penalties will be extended to the end of 2018 in the highway mode. This will be the second extension of the truck turnaround, which was first put in place in June 2017. The turnaround option allows carriers to avoid costly monetary penalties for failure to submit ACI data by returning to the U.S. and submitting their paperwork before entering Canada. Read more here.

 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Spanish Truckers to Strike in Protest of New Highway Toll
Source:ciffa.com

Spanish truckers have called a national strike to take place from January 2 to 5 to protest the introduction of a new truck toll on several stretches of a major ‘A’ road.
The dispute concerns part of European route E05 that links the Spanish road network to the French border. Several thousand HGVs, the majority of them foreign-registered, use the route each day. The toll is designed to take pressure off what has become one of Spain’s busiest highways by encouraging truckers to use motorway alternatives in the vicinity, and to contribute to road infrastructure costs in the region.The exact date for the introduction of the toll has yet to be announced. Read more here.

2017: The Year the West Woke Up to the Opportunities of the Belt and Road
Source:ciffa.com

Discourse on China’s Belt and Road Initiative has evolved dramatically over the last year. Belt and Road has had a high profile in Asia since the Chinese government committed to the scheme in 2013. But Western companies and experts are scrambling to catch up, in part due to the realization that the initiative looks set to transform East-West trade flows and terminal operations. Read more here.

U.S. Passes Landmark Tax Bill: Impacts on Canada?
Source:ciffa.com

As the U.S. prepared to pass its most far-reaching tax reform in decades, one senator mentioned how it would also touch its northern neighbour, Canada. He predicted it would pull companies south. “We’re not gonna have any more … companies [moving] their headquarters to get a lower tax rate,” said Sen. Johnny Isakson. “It’s an incentive to stay in America if you’re located there, and come to America if you’re not.” Read more here.