FIATA e-Flash no 195, 11.03.2019

FIATA AND MEMBERS

2019 FIATA HQ Meeting – email to register for the Headquarters Session 2019 was sent to all FIATA members

Registration for the 2019 FIATA HQ Meeting opened on 9 January with a link sent by email to all FIATA members encouraging their participation.

The email subject line was: Invitation to the FIATA Headquarters Session 2019.
This year, the meeting will take place from March 28th to 30th March. The Headquarters meeting is mainly policy oriented and should not be compared with the World Congress or the Regional Meetings.

Details of the programme can be found on the FIATA website: https://fiata.com/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/initiatives/Programme_FIATA_HQ_2019_1_01.pdf

We look forward to welcoming you to Zurich in March!

9th edition of Market Place Seminar 2019 – Munich, Germany on 4 June 2019

UIC, the International Union of Railways, and FIATA, the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, are jointly organising the Market Place Seminar 2019.

The Market Place Seminar aims to create opportunities for increased Cooperation and Business Development within the Rail Sector by offering a Common Platform for Railway Undertakings, Freight Forwarders and Customers.

For further details and how to register, please visit the field meeting website: http://www.marketplaceseminar.org/

BIFA issues warning about the perils of containers abandoned overseas

The British International Freight Association (BIFA), the trade association for UK freight forwarding and logistics companies, is warning its members about the cost of containers abandoned overseas for which they may be liable and how to implement safeguards to prevent this situation occurring.

The trade association says that often its member company has closed the file with the goods shipped and the carriage paid, and is then surprised to receive a demand for storage and quay charges from the shipping line.

For more details, please visit: https://www.ajot.com/news/bifa-issues-warning-about-the-perils-of-containers-abandoned-overseas

UTIKDA – New Regulation Governing Freight Forwarding in Turkey

Freight forwarding market in Turkey has been regulated by various governmental authorities up until 2019. Several licenses were required for different modes of transportation. The Freight Forwarders Regulation in Turkey, which is going to enter into force as of July 1st, 2019 seem to be the start of a new era.

July 1st, 2019 marks a significant date for freight forwarding industry in Turkey. Freight forwarders who are going to provide their services in rail, road, sea and air transport modes altogether must obtain the Freight Forwarders Authorization License in order to be able to continue their activities.

For more details, please visit: http://utikad.org.tr/Duyuru.aspx?DataID=6240&Baslik=New%20Regulation%20Governing%20Freight%20Forwarding%20in%20Turkey

 

WORLD ECONOMY

Shippers sensitised at 23rd International Trade Fair

Scores of shippers have been sensitised Tuesday 5th March, 2019 at the ongoing trade fair in Accra on the roles played by various regulatory agencies in facilitating their businesses in the shipping and logistics chain.

Representatives from the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA), Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)-Customs Division, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders (GIFF) educated the shippers about the respective roles they play in ensuring trade competitiveness.

For more details, please visit: https://todayingh.com/shippers-sensitised-at-23rd-international-trade-fair-19866/

Solving 3 of the biggest challenges facing global shipping

No matter what size a firm is, you should always be looking for ways to outsource as many processes as possible. For this reason, if your business requires shipping processes, then working with a freight forwarder will assist you in making everything a whole lot easier as freight forwarders specialize in transporting goods between destinations.

But, in this day and age, you don’t merely need to work with just any old freight forwarder; instead, forward-thinking firms are partnering with online freight forwarders to take advantage of developing technologies and also to ensure the most reliable and efficient shipping practices possible.

For more details, please visit: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/airfreight/solving-global-shipping-challenges

First truck completes Europe-China delivery in 12 days

The first overland delivery of European goods bound for China arrived safe and sound last week, in a good omen for Europe’s hopes of making the East Asian superpower’s ambitious Belt and Road initiative a two-way street.

All it took was 12 days for a Dutch truck laden with automobile lubricant to make a 7,400 km journey from Germany to western China, via Poland, Belarus, Russia and Kazakhstan.

For more details, please visit: https://www.euractiv.com/section/transport/news/first-truck-completes-europe-china-delivery-in-12-days/

 

SEA FREIGHT

Forwarders need not fear Maersk’s ‘one-stop shop’ ambitions, says CEO

Freight forwarders offering supply chain solutions to shippers should have nothing to fear from Maersk’s ambition to be the “UPS of container shipping”. So said Maersk Line chief executive Soren Skou, speaking at this week’s TPM conference in Long Beach.

He said: “Freight forwarders make up 40-45% of our business and I don’t see that changing – the most important thing for freight forwarders is to have the best service at the lowest possible cost.

For more details, please visit: https://theloadstar.com/forwarders-need-not-fear-maersks-one-stop-shop-ambitions-says-ceo/

Port of Marseille experiments with blockchain

The Marseille-Fos Port in France is taking part in a pilot blockchain project for freight transportation on the Rhône-Saône transport corridor, launching in June 2019.

The focus of the project is to run a trial to evaluate the security of the digital transport chain. It will involve applying blockchain technology to supply chain logistics and freight forwarding, particularly where goods are transported in multiple ways such as sea and road.

For more details, please visit: https://www.ledgerinsights.com/port-of-marseille-blockchain/

Seaports remain scanty, freight forwarders decry huge demurrage

The two major ports in Lagos, Apapa and Tin Can Island, were on Monday without their usual buzzing crowds, three days after the elections were postponed.

This is also as freight forwarders put the losses of the logistics sector at over $100m due to the postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, February 16.

For more details, please visit: https://punchng.com/seaports-remain-scanty-freight-forwarders-decry-huge-demurrage/

Port Report: European Commission gives greenlight on CMA CGM’s bid for Ceva

European ocean carrier needed approval from continent’s governing anti-trust body before taking offer to public shareholders.

CMA CGM’s bid to enter the freight forwarding market took another step forward as the ocean carrier opened up its $1.68 billion bid for Ceva Logistics to the company’s public shareholders. Last week, the European Commission’s takeover board ruled that the combination of the fourth largest ocean carrier by size and the Swiss firm would not have an adverse effect on the market for ocean shipping.

For more details, please visit: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/port-report-cma-cgm-ceva-takeover

Port Report: China’s coastal shipping begins to suffer from over-capacity

Dry bulk and container shipping along China coast seeing too much capacity, according to government statistics, leading to falling rates.

China’s domestic coastal shipping market is generally stable, according to a new report from the country’s Ministry of Transport, but there are increasing issues with over-capacity. The report looks at coastal dry bulk shipping, domestic wet bulk shipping, coastal box shipping and cross-Taiwan Strait trade.

For more details, please visit: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/maritime/port-report-china-shipping-glut-grows

 

AIR FREIGHT

New canine screening of air cargo highlights potential for less airport congestion

After years of development work, faster and more accurate air cargo security screening by third-party canine screening firms has now taken a major step forward.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has approved and certified teams from three private canine screening firms to implement air cargo screening measures at airports around the USA. Several other canine screening companies are awaiting their certifications as well.

For more details, please visit: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/air-freight/canine-screening-offers-congestion-solution

Transpacific airfreight rates decline again in January

Airfreight rates on the transpacific trade lane continued to come under pressure in January as contacts say that demand at the start of 2019 has been lacklustre.

Figures from Tac Index show that airfreight rates on services from Hong Kong to North America declined by 0.8% year on year to an average of $3.66 per kg.

For more details, please visit: https://www.aircargonews.net/business/airfreight-rates/transpacific-airfreight-rates-decline-again-in-january/

 

RAIL AND ROAD FREIGHT

Global Railway Review Issue 1 2019

In this issue we explore Etihad Rail’s ambition to improve rail freight transport across the UAE, the Rail Freight Forward coalition’s aims to increase rail freight modal share and SNCF’s vision of future rolling stock that are connected, driverless and emission-free.

For more details, please visit: https://www.globalrailwayreview.com/article/77906/global-railway-review-issue-1-2019/

Can Freight Railroad Industry Maintain Momentum in 2019?

The railroad industry seems to be poised well not only in the near term but also in the long haul on the back of robust freight demand fuelled by a buoyant U.S. economy. A strong U.S. economy supports the bullishness of freight railroad operators, as it implies that more goods are being transported across the country.

The robust financial health of railroads bears testimony to the fact that the scenario has improved considerably for players in this industry despite coal-related headwinds. Currently, nearly 35% of the U.S. exports are shifted to the ports by freight railways. Year to date, the freight railroad industry has grown 18.9% compared with the benchmark S&P 500 index’s increase of 10.7%.

For more details, please visit: https://www.railfreight.com/railfreight/2019/02/12/european-commission-adopts-no-deal-brexit-contingency-plan-for-rail/

 

INNOVATIONS

Can Amazon’s NVO lure large BCO volumes?

For Amazon to truly grow its non-vessel-operating common carrier (NVO) business, the e-commerce giant will need buy-in from midsized to large beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) beyond its own marketplace sellers. But shippers who spoke with JOC.com don’t yet consider Amazon’s ocean freight logistics service an attractive opportunity or a threat.

The success of any NVO begins and ends with shippers, but there are legitimate, and thus far unanswered, questions about whether sizable shippers will be wary of working with Amazon given the company’s status as both service provider and competitor.

For more details, please visit: https://www.joc.com/international-logistics/logistics-providers/can-amazon%E2%80%99s-nvo-lure-large-bco-volumes_20190225.html

Egyptian freight marketplace startup Trella raises $600k in seed funding

Trella, an Egyptian-based trucking marketplace startup, has raised an investment of $600,000+ in pre-seed financing. The round was led by Algebra Ventures, and saw the participation of several strategic investors, global venture capital firms (VCs) and angel investors.

Trella was founded in 2018 by Omar Hagrass and Pierre Saad to address the issue of severe fragmentation within the Egyptian trucking market.

For more details, please visit: https://www.freightwaves.com/news/technology/egyptian-freight-marketplace-startup-trella-raises-600k-in-seed-funding