News & Insights

After the bluffs, bravado and deadline dilution, the Brexit trade deal discussions are back on, after Michel Barnier made a statement in the European Parliament on Wednesday that both sides must be willing to compromise. Talks had stalled last week, with Downing Street insisting there was no p... Read more

Industry ‘experts’ tell us that boardroom visibility of supply chain challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic will accelerate a supply chain transformation as businesses reduce sourcing risks, in favour of closer suppliers. The expectation is a shift away from lowest-cost off-shore options,... Read more

Container shipping rates from Asia to Europe have soared to a five year high, while reliability falls to the lowest ever level recorded. The rapid recovery in post-lockdown demand has driven up volumes on the trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe trades, with global volume rising for the first time th... Read more

Further to recent reports of increased demand for air freight from Asia and generally around the Globe we have seen a continued increase this week in demand from China and the Asia Region. There have been many launches of tech products by Apple, Samsung and Sony and most are running later than... Read more

On the 8th October 2020, the UK Government released a comprehensive update to its Border Operating Model that will be effective from 22:59 GMT 31st December 2020.  On 31st December 2020 the UK will leave the EU’s Single Market and Customs Union, resulting in new customs declarations, re... Read more

All parts of the UK have been impacted, including ‘essential’ freight, logistics and supply chain sectors, but the container haulage industry has been hit particularly hard, with many challenges still to be overcome. Six weeks ago Metro wrote about container haulage operations and how it h... Read more

The container shipping alliances help carriers lower operating costs and broaden service coverage through economies of scale. However, do the alliances restrict individual line’s ability to differentiate and innovate as services beyond the sea element is not always under a carrier’s control.&... Read more

Despite the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) holding ‘emergency’ talks with industry leaders 20 months ago, the UK still doesn’t have enough of the right pallets to continue exporting goods to the European Union after the 31st December.  EU regulations on thir... Read more

Metro has been providing internal and external training since inception, but never in such challenging circumstances. Traditional training in the current climate has simply not been possible and while the benefits that follow learning for the individual and the organisation make the effort of ... Read more

As a member of the European Union, UK goods move freely between and through other member states without any formalities. As of 23:00 GMT on the 31st December 2020 freedom of movement will no longer apply and formalities will be necessary at the interface between the UK and the EU and across inter... Read more

In light of the recent criticism and industry-wide complaints concerning delays and service levels, the Port of Felixstowe – the UK’s largest and busiest container port - introduced vehicle booking changes on Monday, to improve service and lessen the delays on its terminals. One of these c... Read more

As the legal battle lines are being drawn by the EU for their day in court, the divorce talks continue to run in parallel. Following the conclusion of last week's round of Brexit talks, Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen held a call on 3rd October to disc... Read more