News & Insights

Internationally recognised as a mark of security and quality excellence, Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status is an independent endorsement that our international supply chain processes are secure and that our customs controls and procedures are efficient, effective and legally compliant. ... Read more

As Metro reported in last week’s supply chain bulletin, the availability of container equipment has become the primary supply chain issue for shippers and importers from China and Asia in general.  The lack of equipment is a key issue impacting both rates and supply chains across Asia, ... Read more

While reports of free-flowing freight traffic at Dover may suggest everything is hunky-dory in the nation’s supply chain, after the end of transition, the reality is that there are problems, delays and disruption, it’s just taking place elsewhere and disruption is imminent.  Dover’s... Read more

The logistics industry has welcomed the signing of a Brexit trade deal between the UK and the EU. Running to 1246 pages the deal covers the rules relating to products which will allow them to be freely traded, and market access rules for air and road transport. The freight sector responded pos... Read more

Since the end of the Brexit transition period on New Year's Eve, new customs paperwork is required for lorry drivers, that is in addition to the recent requirements imposed by France to have a negative Covid test result. However, so far things appear to have been running fairly smoothly at t... Read more

As container freight rates continue to rise from Asia, regulators in China and the US are raising concerns and the European Commission is being urged to consider whether the carriers’ behaviour is damaging trade growth at a time of economic recession. Chinese regulators are renewing their ca... Read more

The COVID pandemic massively impacted freight infrastructure operations, rates, vessel space and equipment availability last year and is showing little sign of ending any time soon. Sea freight rates from Asia are at the highest levels ever seen, equipment shortages continue at virtually every... Read more

On the 17th December 2020 HM Government (HMG) released its 2025 Border Strategy document, which outlines its intentions for modernising the UK frontier and embraces many technologies and ideas pioneered by Metro. The 2025 UK Border Strategy sets out the government’s vision for the UK border ... Read more

With strong demand and container shortages continuing throughout the Christmas and New Year period, sea freight rates from Asia have not softened and show little sign of easing before the Chinese New Year (CNY) holidays in February - at the earliest. Consumer demand across Europe remains stron... Read more

In the course of 2020, a year which will go down in history as one of the most challenging in decades, we produced close to 300 news articles to keep our customers aware of the news and seismic events impacting their supply chains. We sent 70 email news bulletins to share the 300 stories, with... Read more

The continuing torrent of inbound containers from Asia has filled up all the terminal operating space at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, with bottlenecks spreading to the East Coast and Gulf ports, and congestion, vessel bunching, and equipment shortages expected to last until at least C... Read more

As 70% of England move to Tier 3 on Saturday and Wales announce strict new lockdown measures from the 28th December, we consider the impact of a further national lockdown on operational and freight infrastructure. The COVID pandemic has starkly highlighted our reliance on, and the fragility of... Read more