News & Insights

In the absence of belly-hold capacity (passenger aircraft), big volume shippers are taking freighter and charter options, potentially affecting air cargo capacity available to some shippers and underlining the importance of the strength of partner carrier partnerships and of our time-sensitive se... Read more

In the fourth quarter of 2020 the UK’s trade deficit widened by an astounding £10.9bn, as companies' stockpiling accelerated ahead of the end of the EU transition period, barely pausing during French border disruption, to stop the spread of the Kent coronavirus variant. No FTA review Des... Read more

Key Metro partner Emirates SkyCargo and DP World have launched a sea/air product, increasing the range of services we can offer, ahead of a likely post-lockdown demand surge. The Dubai-based companies are offering complementary sea/air services, which can expedite the transfer of containers fr... Read more

The government has received around 40 bids for freeport status ahead of this month’s deadline, from port groups, airports and the Ford motor company. While there is some doubt that freeports will create “national hubs for trade” or “turbo-charge” the UK’s economic recovery in the s... Read more

While the world’s biggest shipping lines grow weary of Felixstowe and the UK’s primary ports, due to continuing congestion wrecking their vessel schedules, Europe’s hub ports are strengthening their market positions through giant mergers, in moves that may actually benefit UK shippers. O... Read more

After a massive spike in fuel prices, in the run up to IMO 2020, marine fuel prices collapsed as the COVID pandemic took hold, but have been increasing rapidly in recent weeks, raising fears of BAF increases. The IMO’s global emissions regulations - IMO2020 - which impacted the global contai... Read more

Since the 1st January 2021, all European Union members are now a third country entity, which means the way you ship goods between the EU and UK has changed. Under the new rules, UK firms doing business with the EU face new processes, paperwork and checks, as we have been advising on a daily ba... Read more

The shortage of container ships and record-breaking freight rates has prompted some carriers to come up with new and creative alternatives. The continued demand for sea freight space, that started last May, and the ensuing volume crisis, caused by a shortage of vessel availability and empty co... Read more

The economic turmoil triggered by the continuing pandemic, has disrupted global container shipping through 2020, with port congestion battering the shipping lines’ schedules and wiping out reliability. Port congestion began in Asia, as the first Coronavirus waves passed last May and factorie... Read more

Expectation of congestion at the UK’s primary Channel ports and the reluctance of foreign drivers to come to the UK, if their return journey was uncertain, prompted our preparation of alternative new RoRo and short-sea solutions. Before the UK joined the European Union less than half our con... Read more

The UK's rapid Covid-19 vaccination roll-out will undoubtedly help the economy bounce back and we are anticipating an upsurge in demand for air, sea and overland transport as confidence returns from the second quarter as lockdowns loosen and consumers are able to consume in the old fashioned way ... Read more

Shanghai and Yantian port disruption, refusal of heavy weight containers onto quay and the serious issue of drivers returning home ahead of CNY, due to Government enforced covid related travel restrictions are bad enough, and now the signs are the shipping lines will do everything possible to mai... Read more