Newsletter – May 15, 2023

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Air charter market ‘screwed’ after carriers ‘splurged’ on freighters

theloadstar.com
Amid a rapidly increasing glut of capacity in the market, forwarders and brokers are at odds over the costs of long-term charters.
One forwarder told The Loadstar he thought the charter market was “done”, after carriers began “splurging” money on freighters during Covid. Read more here.

FAA Warns Of Disrupted Flights Due To Temperature Increases

simpleflying.com
As the busy summer travel season fast approaches next month, there’s a high possibility of increased flight delays as climate scientists and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warn of how warmer days will see plenty more aircraft stranded on runways and taxiways as the heat will impact aircraft performances.
Rising temperatures present quite the problem
Besides sweating buckets and feeling like sticky glue all over, increasing temperatures throughout the summer season will see quite an unwelcome disruptive impact on the US aviation industry for several reasons. Read more here.

Optimism fades for airfreight recovery on slow-healing inventories

freightwaves.com
Since late last year, air logistics executives have engaged in wishful thinking that the protracted downturn in shipping demand would start to recover after the first quarter and build through the year once retailers cleared out excess inventories. That rosy scenario is fading.
Worsening indicators suggest the international freight recession hasn’t hit bottom and that the best outcome air cargo providers can hope for until October — typically the peak season for goods movement — is halting the slide. Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

FMC Commissioner Calls for Transparency in Shipping Industry

ttnews.com
Federal Maritime Commissioner Carl Bentzel believes that the port and large cargo bottlenecks that occurred during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic during 2021 and 2022 must be avoided during future emergencies.
In a wide-ranging after-incident study, called the Maritime Transportation Data Initiative, Bentzel explains changes he believes are urgently needed, especially when it comes to sharing data among shipping companies and others moving freight. Read more here.

Cyclone disrupts sea and airport operations in Bangladesh, Myanmar

theloadstar.com
Super-cyclone Mocha, which pounded Bangladesh and Myanmar’s coasts yesterday, led to the suspension of operations at both Chittagong and Mongla seaports and Sittwe port in Myanmar. More delays are expected.
Sittwe port, part financed by India, only opened last week, with the first ship arriving last Tuesday. The city was devastated by the cyclonic storm, which killed at least three people and wrecking roads and destroying homes and other establishments. Read more here (login required).

INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENT – BUSINESS UPDATES

Employees need to understand digitalisation for companies to progress with technology

aircargonews.com
People pose one of the biggest barriers to companies effectively utilising technology, according to a digitalisation conference panel at Air Cargo Europe in Munich.
Employees need to understand what changes digitalisation will and won’t make to a company’s operations, said the panel during the ‘Future of Freight – The Digital Imperative’ conference session. Read more here.