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Newsletter – March 18, 2020
AIR FREIGHT UPDATES
Coronavirus Roundup – What Happened In Aviation Today?
simpleflying.comOne day can feel like a whole year during this coronavirus pandemic. Airlines around the world are under enormous pressure while passengers are nervously fretting over their flights. Here’s a roundup of what happened in aviation on March 17, 2020, amid the coronavirus outbreak. Read more here.
Airlines downsize to skeletal levels, focus on preserving cash
freightwaves.comFacing a severe drop in traffic and revenue associated with new coronavirus travel restrictions imposed by many countries, including Canada and the U.S., airlines are cutting flight schedules to the bone and taking other drastic measures that are seriously impacting frontline workers for the first time. Read more here.
OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES
China Lowers Service Charges at Ports
portstrategy.comChina will lower the service charges of ports to optimise the business environment and encourage logistics firms to resume operations, as coronavirus begins to loosen its hold on the country. Read more here.
OOCL voids another transpacific sailing owing to low market demand
shippingazette.comHONG KONG’s Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), now a Cosco unit, has announced another voided sailing resulting from the low market demand.This affects the Gulf Coast China 1 (GCC1) service, that would have rotated though Hong Kong from March 14 to Shenzhen-Shekou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Houston, Mobile, New Orleans, Tampa, Miami, Singapore and Hong Kong.
MSC vessel found to be breaking IMO ban on carrying heavy fuel oil
theloadstar.comMSC has become the first major ocean carrier to fall foul of the IMO’s ban on carrying non-compliant fuel.The 9,784 teu post-panamax MSC Joanna has been prohibited from operating in UAE waters for one year and its master banned indefinitely and facing legal action from the country’s Federal Transport Authority (FTA) after allegedly failing to comply with an order to debunker 700 tons of heavy fuel oil (HFO) before entering the Dubai port of Jebel Ali. Read more here.
CMA CGM lifts reefer congestion surcharge in China as truckers return to work
theloadstar.comThe massive backlog of reefer containers at Chinese gateway ports has begun to clear, according to carriers and ports in the region.French carrier CMA CGM today announced it was cancelling its port congestion surcharge on reefer shipments to the Chinese ports of Shanghai and Ningbo. Read more here.
CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
US-Canada border to close for nonessential travel to slow coronavirus spread, Trump says
usatoday.comThe border between Canada and the U.S. will close for non-essential travel.President Donald Trump confirmed the news in a tweet on Wednesday morning. “We will be, by mutual consent, temporarily closing our Northern Border with Canada to non-essential traffic. Trade will not be affected. Details to follow!” Trump tweeted. Read more here.
Toronto suspends noise bylaw to facilitate deliveries
insidelogistics.caTORONTO – Effective immediately and until further notice, all retail businesses in Toronto are exempt from the City of Toronto Noise Bylaw to facilitate after-hour deliveries.The City’s Noise Bylaw includes the ability to provide an exemption in response to extraordinary circumstances affecting the immediate health, safety or welfare of the community. Read more here.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
Coronavirus: As EU Shuts Borders For 30 Days, What Tourists Must Know
forbes.comThe EU has shut its borders from much of the outside world, particularly to foreign tourists, in its bid to slow the coronavirus pandemic. In one of the most unprecedented moves in the history of the European Union, this sees Europe barricade itself up for at least 30 days from most foreign arrivals as it shuts the external borders to the bloc. Read more here.