News & Insights

Negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and West Coast port employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) began last May and while talks continue, both are hopeful of reaching a deal soon, as US importers continue to divert cargo to Eastern a... Read more

While the freight and logistics sector may be accused of lagging other industries, in developing its digital capability, Metro continues to develop service capability that goes beyond offering just supply-chain visibility. The investments we’ve made in systems and cloud networks create real-... Read more

Softening air freight rates and no post-Chinese New Year recovery means the usual strong March pick-up will not recover a depressed market and any uptick in rates due to demand being focused toward Turkey after the earthquake has been short lived. Many key air freight trade lanes currently hav... Read more

Short-sea container, unaccompanied trailer services and the use of quieter regional ports have enjoyed something of a renaissance since Brexit, as more complex border controls have added to congestion and delays at the busiest Channel ports. DFDS’s Sheerness to Calais service has now moved m... Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the public gaze towards supply chains and a previously unrecognised business sector became a household name, but after two plus years of navigating monumental challenges, supply chain executives, are faced with more challenges and need to secure their supply chains be... Read more

The sidewalk booths, where residents took compulsory COVID tests almost daily, have gone and queues are again forming outside restaurants, while face masks, which were omnipresent for nearly three years, have almost disappeared, but some challenges remain. China’s Centre for Disease Control ... Read more

In 2022, exports increased by 6.7% (after inflation), but this is still less than the value of pre-pandemic exports in 2018 and there were warning signs in the last quarter of 2022, with UK exports falling by 2.9% as economic headwinds took their toll. The challenges facing UK exporters in 202... Read more

Now in its 22nd year, the annual TPM conference, in Long Beach California, considers the pressing supply chain and freight challenges affecting shippers globally. TPM attracts the most senior-level audience in the industry, including an executive team from Metro and is considered to be the ‘Dav... Read more

The huge downward push on freight rates did slow in January and the continuing weak demand will put the brakes on any rate increases, with expectations for post-CNY volumes bearish, although some lines have been attempting surcharges on transatlantic, transpacific and ex India routes.  Th... Read more

The planned 2025 split of the 2M alliance, after ten years, by the world’s largest and second-largest container shipping lines - MSC and Maersk - has been looking increasingly likely, as Maersk pursues its integrated strategy and MSC’s expansion has given them the scale to effectively offer a... Read more

Global demand for air freight remained low in early January and with no surge in demand from Asia, that would normally precede Chinese New Year, volumes have been trending downwards since the first half of 2022. The China airfreight market has remained subdued post the Lunar New Year holidays,... Read more

We reported last month how the global shortage of RoRo capacity for finished vehicle shipments had intensified over the last two quarters on 2022, encouraging two of China’s biggest car manufacturers to order their own ships, as sales of their EVs grew in European markets, including Norway... Read more