Newsletter – March 27, 2023

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

FAA Announces Plan To Cut Down Flight Delays In New York City & Washington DC

simpleflying.com
To avoid repeating last year’s mass disruptions across the airports serving New York City and Washington DC, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) outlined the measurable efforts it will be conducting this year. In the plan, the agency gives airlines a period waiver to file requests for slots they wish to give up voluntarily. Read more here.

Drone Delivery Canada secures first contract for heavy-lift drone 

aircargonews.net
Drone Delivery Canada (DDC) has been awarded the first contract for its heavy-lift Condor remote piloted drone.
The drone company said that, with the assistance of its sales agent Air Canada, it had signed a contract with the Canadian government to work with Transport Canada in operating and evaluating its proprietary drone delivery platform using its heavy-lift Condor remote piloted aircraft, the largest drone it is currently developing. Read more here.

Airforwarders Association ramps up efforts to tackle ‘crumbling infrastructure’

aircargonews.net
The US Airforwarders Association (AfA) has appointed a senior lobbyist as it ramps up efforts to tackle “crumbling” air cargo infrastructure.
Michael Taylor, managing partner, Diakon Partners, has been given the task of maintaining pressure on US congress to make urgent investments. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Liner profits smash all records

splash247.com
The earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) liner shipping has made in the past three years are more than the combined profits of the previous 63-year history of container shipping, according to new analysis by Sea-Intelligence.
Sea-Intelligence experts have estimated the liner sector made an EBIT of $208bn last year, having racked up $164bn, and $24bn in 2021 and 2020 respectively. Read more here.

CMA CGM, COSCO and Hapag-Lloyd line up further orders

splash247.com
Tanker and dry bulk owners thinking the odd shipyard slot might open up as liners and gas carriers ease off ordering have been given pause for thought.
Maersk Broker is reporting CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd have approached several Korean yards for 10 and six 4,000 teu methanol dual-fuel vessels with Hyundai Mipo Dockyard deemed the frontrunner. Read more here.

Maersk says posted data is not current and not from attack by hackers

theloadstar.com
Maersk denies it has been cyber-attacked by hacker group Anonymous Sudan, despite leaked customer credentials appearing on social media.
The group posted a .txt file with several usernames and passwords of Maersk customers on its telegram channel, alongside AI art and threats of attacks against other Swedish and Danish companies, citing as its motivation “their burning of the Quran”. Read more here (login required).

Another rail strike in Germany to add to European freight troubles

theloadstar.com
A rail strike in Germany on Monday is expected to cause delays and rail freight disruptions, with freight forwarders and shippers calling for flexibility on timings to help the movement of goods, with more disruptions in France also expected.
The latest action follows a port pilots’ strike, which ended this morning, and disruption in France as demonstrators protest against the president’s plan to extend the pensionable age. Read more here (login required).

CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Vancouver fails to get ILWU Canada support for RBT2

worldcargonews.com
The ILWU Canada has rejected the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s offer to require a new container terminal to provide 800 ILWU jobs at capacity in return for the union supporting the project. Read more here.