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08
May
Newsletter – May 8, 2020
AIR FREIGHT UPDATES
Deluge of medical cargo cripples Shanghai Pudong airport
freightwaves.com
Freight gridlock at Shanghai Pudong International Airport is so bad that some cargo planes are being forced to leave nearly empty and logistics companies are recommending ocean transportation as a faster option.
Airfreight professionals describe an operational meltdown, with trucks stuck in queues for two to three days to drop off shipments and boxes piling up in warehouses unable to get put on aircraft because Chinese customs officials and ground handlers are overwhelmed by the surge in export demand for face masks and other medical supplies. Read more here.
OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES
Port of Montreal Scorecard – April
port-montreal.comSee the Port of Montreal scorecard here.
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
Logistics faces a new retail landscape, dominated by social shoppers
theloadstar.comThe last few months have demonstrated just how much of our daily lives can be lived in the comfort of our homes: from remote working, to virtual pub drinks and, of course, shopping.In the US, TikTok and Levi’s have just released the first findings of their commercial partnership, which included the use of a ‘shop now’ button in platforms. Read more here.
Bangladesh garment sector hit by 87% plunge in exports through Chittagong
theloadstar.comBangladesh’s import and export volumes in April nosedived as the coronavirus pandemic took hold, new data shows.Last month, export volumes through Chittagong port fell 87% and imports were down 22% – a crippling blow for the impoverished South Asian nation of 160m people. Read more here.
Commentary: Remote work takes hold in logistics
freightwaves.comLong before COVID-19 came along and disrupted our professional lives in every imaginable way, there was a strong movement inside of corporations and entrepreneurial circles around the world to untether from the physical office and get their work done from wherever they are, most of the time at home.The remote work culture has long since struggled in logistics companies for a myriad of reasons. Carriers used to require physical presence for their employees at facilities that handle goods and most likely will until robotic warehouses replace the need. Third-party logistics providers (3PLs), freight forwarders and brokers have generally needed to be in a central location for reasons of collaboration, planning and tribal knowledge-sharing. Read more here.
India looks to lure more than 1,000 US companies out of China
ajot.comIndia is seeking to lure U.S. businesses, including medical devices giant Abbott Laboratories, to relocate from China as President Donald Trump’s administration steps up efforts to blame Beijing for its role in the coronavirus pandemic.The government in April reached out to more than 1,000 companies in the U.S. and through overseas missions to offer incentives for manufacturers seeking to move out of China, according to Indian officials who asked not to be identified, citing rules on speaking with the media. Read more here.