Newsletter: January 25, 2022

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

5G Doomsday Crisis Averted, Say FAA And Airlines

forbes.com
ears that the nationwide 5G rollout would cause widespread disruption to air travel in the United States have dissipated, with a collective sigh of relief from both the government’s aviation agency and airlines.
Yesterday the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) announced it had approved 78% of the U.S. commercial aircraft fleet to perform low-visibility landings at airports where wireless companies deployed 5G in the C-band. The 13 cleared altimeters are found on a variety of commercial aircraft, including eight Boeing and eight Airbus models, as well as some Embraer 170 and 190 regional jets. Read more here.

US DOT suspends 44 flight segments served by Chinese carriers

aircargonewss.com
The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has suspended 44 passenger flight segments operated by Chinese air carriers in retaliation for Chinese cancellation of flights by US carriers due to alleged violation of the Asian country’s Covid-19 rules.
It’s the latest volley in an increasing spat between US and Chinese aviation regulators about the rules, as China remains committed to a zero-Covid infection policy. Read more here.

MSC joins Lufthansa in bidding for Italy’s flagship airline

splash247.com
Airplanes are increasingly the must-have bolt on for cash-rich containerlines, the billionaires of the transport sector, making more money than Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google.
The Aponte family controlled Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has tied up with Germany’s Lufthansa in a bid to acquire the majority of Alitalia successor ITA Airways, seeking an exclusivity period of 90 days to study the deal. Read more here. 

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Japan celebrates landmark unmanned boxship voyage

splash247.com
A containership has completed an unmanned voyage between two ports in Japan as the nation continues to lead world shipping towards a more autonomous feature.
The 194 teu Mikage moored automatically today using a drone (pictured) at Sakai port, having set off from Tsuruga port a couple of hundred miles away yesterday. The ship is owned by Imoto Lines, Japan’s largest domestic feeder operator, in which Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is a key shareholder. Read more here. 

Large swell in 22-knot wind caused idling Madrid Bridge to roll and lose boxes

theloadstar.com
New evidence has emerged as to the cause of the container collapse on the ONE-operated Madrid Bridge, which has the dubious distinction of being the first overboard box incident of 2022.
An initial investigation – a copy of which has been passed to The Loadstar – reveals that the vessel had begun idling south of the Azores, in the mid-Atlantic, on 2 January to delay its arrival at the port of New York. Read more here (login required).

Carrier ‘gravy train’ steams ahead, thanks to congestion and new contracts

theloadstar.com
Despite a weakening in demand, ocean carriers will bank another $200bn of profit between them this year.
In its latest Container Forecaster report, maritime consultant Drewry said it was downgrading its 2022 outlook for world port throughput to 4.6%, from its previous assessment of 5.2%. Read more here (login required).

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

“Freedom convoy” of truckers opposing vaccine mandate leaves Metro Vancouver for Ottawa

globalnews.ca
Hundreds of B.C. truckers took to the road Sunday kicking off what they called a “freedom convoy” to Ottawa in protest of the federal government’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers.
Scores of big rigs gathered in pre-dawn fog in Delta before rolling out, and will be joined by groups from Vancouver Island and communities in the B.C. Interior as they make their way east. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL  BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

New air cargo capacity and logistics property investment as Vietnam recovers

theloadstar.com
Vietnam is set for a fresh injection of air cargo capacity and logistics property investments, as the country’s post-lockdown economic recovery gathers steam.
Today came news that Alibaba logistics unit Cainiao has launched a daily charter flight between Ho Chi Minh City and the Chinese city of Nanning to “safeguard” the cross-border logistics stability of Lazada, the e-commerce giant’s South-east Asian subsidiary. Read more here (login required)