Newsletter – June 8, 2021

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

To CEIV or not to CEIV?

aircargoweek.com
Andrea Gruber, head of special cargo, IATA spoke to ACW about the ins and outs of their Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) programme, which was launched back in 2014. CEIV is available to train, guide and support industry stakeholders in Pharma, Fresh and Live Animals. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

South China ports in crisis as logjam of box ships and containers grows

theloadstar.com
South China’s port congestion has gone from bad to worse – delays at Yantian are spilling over to nearby Shekou and Nansha.
When the bottleneck began over two weeks ago, Hutchison-run Yantian International Container Terminal (YICT) blamed out-of-whack shipping schedules for suspending laden export operations. Read more here (login required).

Yantian box disruption surpasses March’s Suez crisis

splash247.com
The number of containers unable to move from south China because of a Covid-19 outbreak around Yantian Port has already surpassed the volume of boxes held up in March when the 20,388 teu Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal in Egypt, statistics that serve to underline the severity of the latest supply chain crisis hitting liner shipping. Read more here.

Asian ports refuse entry to Covid-hit Evergreen ship with dead captain onboard

splash247.com
Nearly two months since the death of an Italian captain onboard Evergreen’s 5,090 teu Ital Libera and his family are still unable to arrange a funeral with port authorities in Asia refusing to accept the ship that was hit with an outbreak of Covid-19. Read more here.

CMA CGM revenues surge on demand

lloydsloadinglist.com
CMA CGM is channelling its newfound financial strength into fleet and equipment upgrades, after reporting a 49.2% rise in group revenues to $10.7bn in the first quarter.
While the annual rise has to be read in the light of last year’s pandemic-driven downturn in the first quarter, the company has made a third of 2020’s annual revenue in just one quarter this year. Read more here.

CIMC chief insists rising steel costs won’t push up price of new containers

theloadstar.com
Despite steel prices rising, new containers are unlikely to become more expensive, the boss of the world’s largest box manufacturer said last week.
China International Marine Containers (CIMC) chairman Mai Boliang was addressing concerns about prices during the company’s annual general meeting.
However, prices of new containers are more than double that of a year ago, due to heightened demand and well-publicised equipment shortages. Read more here.

Automation could lead to ILWU to renege on employer deal

seanews.com.tr
A DANGEROUS encounter between US west coast dockers and management is approaching with the expiration of the current contract a year away, reports IHS Media.
Dockers oppose plans to automate TTI (Total Terminals International), the largest terminal in Port of Long Beach, 80 per cent owned by Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC). Read more here.

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Uber’s self-driving star launches Canadian startup

insidelogistics.ca
After the COVID-19 pandemic turned travel demand upside down, Uber Technologies Inc. decided to hit the brakes on its six-year-old self-driving car venture, selling it to Silicon Valley startup Aurora.
By then Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group had settled a 2017 U.S. lawsuit in which it was accused of stealing trade secrets from Google’s self-driving subsidiary Waymo. Uber’s safety procedures underwent intense scrutiny after one of its test cars struck and killed a Tempe, Ariz. woman in 2018. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

US box imports continue setting records

lloydsloadinglist.com
US container import volumes are continue set records and add to pressures on ports and other logistics infrastructure to meet the boom in demand, with supply chain disruptions, port congestion and rising shipping costs set to continue throughout 2021. Read more here.