Newsletter – May 7, 2021

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Anchorage Airport is the fourth busiest cargo airport

aircargoweek.com
The Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport is the fourth busiest cargo airport in world.
Governor Mike Dunleavy said, “Alaska is open for business and with nearly $1 billion of developments planned for ANC, we expect this economic hub for the state to keep growing.” Read more here.

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

American ports fail to make the grade on efficiency

splash247.com
No American boxport is among the top 50 most efficient in the world, a new study reveals, in another damning indictment on the lagging state of US maritime infrastructure.
Released this week, the Container Port Performance Index 2020 (CPPI) ranks 351 of the world’s container ports based largely on dwell time, seen as a reflection of the ports’ processes and infrastructure. The report from the World Bank and IHS Markit clearly identified that Asia’s ports lead the way. Read more here.

Decreasing water levels on Parana River threaten to further disrupt shipping

splash247.com
For at least the last year, water levels in the Parana River have been an issue, forcing carriers to reduce loads to avoid grounding in the shallow water. Now, as the annual dry season and the annual export season hit at the same time, the problem could worsen. Last year, a lack of rain caused the river to hit its lowest level in 50 years. Read more here.

Ocean freight rates and challenges rise further

lloydsloadinglist.com
Ocean freight rates out of Asia have continued rising, especially to the US, as reduced capacity, high demand and equipment issues leading to “extreme capacity or equipment shortages” in North China, southeast Asia, and Taiwan.
The latest freight rate assessments from Drewry on eight major East-West trades show that an average of the combined rates – Drewry’s composite World Container Index – increased 9.8% this week or $489 to $5,472 per 40ft container, taking prices more than 278% higher than a year ago. Read more here.

Rates misery goes on: shippers face huge increases or their cargo rolled

theloadstar.com
Shippers from Asia to Europe saw a further spike in container spot rates this week, particularly for Mediterranean ports.
And ocean carriers are said to be preparing big increases in short-term rates as cargo-rolling becomes the norm.
On the transpacific, carriers are ‘sold out’ for the rest of May and into June, with this week’s spot rate increases from Asia to the US west and east coasts described by one shipper as “academic”. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Amazon fuels North America’s most severe warehouse shortage

ajot.com
Finding warehouse space around Toronto has never been harder, and the e-commerce fueled shortage is disrupting businesses and threatening the broader economy.
With the pandemic driving a belated embrace of online shopping in Canada, Amazon.com Inc. has been gobbling up warehouses. That’s pushed the vacancy rate in the Toronto area down to just 0.5%, making it the tightest market in North America, if not the world. Read more here.