European market review and group developments
The European freight market continues to face a complex landscape, characterised by fluctuating demand and evolving capacity challenges. In this review, we examine the current state of the road freight market and highlight recent group developments, including the acquisition of a Portuguese inter...
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Global IT outage disrupts supply chains
On Friday, a faulty update to Microsoft software by cyber-security firm Crowdstrike, saw global supply chain operations significantly disrupted, with the fallout expected to take weeks to fully resolve.
Thousands of flights were grounded or delayed at major air freight hubs in Europe, Asia, an...
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Europe may experience its own near-shoring boom
As planes descend into Monterrey airport, an expanse of warehouses and manufacturing complexes stretches out for miles, exemplifying the near-shoring boom that has swept through Mexico in recent years, as Asian companies and their supply chains move closer to the United States.
Drivers of Mexi...
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Felixstowe train derailment
At 22:09 on Wednesday 19th June a GB railway locomotive and loaded wagons en-route to the Port of Felixstowe derailed on the branch line approaching the main Central and Northern railheads, causing significant damage to the track and closing both terminals to train movements.
The Central and N...
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New Silk Road will link the Gulf to Europe
Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE are joining with Iraq to develop a new land corridor - Development Road Project - which will connect the Gulf to Europe.
The Development Road Project is a multi-billion dollar land corridor that will stretch 750 miles from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean Sea, e...
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Summer 2024; France supply chain alert
This summer, a number of large-scale sporting events are likely to create some supply chain disruption, with the Olympic and Paralympic Games taking place in Paris between the 26th of July to the 11th of August, and the 28th of August to the 8th of September.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games, whic...
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Metro are getting BIGGER in Europe
Metro has been shipping freight to, from and across Europe since 1981, using road, rail and short-sea services to create country and product-specific transport solutions. Our new Head of European Services, Matt Paxton-Rhodes, wants to make these award-winning solutions available to more shippers,...
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Potentially disruptive rail strike averted in US, while, unfortunately, UK braces for more
President Biden’s administration has averted a rail strike that would have caused further issues within the country’s fragile supply chain infrastructure, while rail strikes will recommence in the UK from October, following the recent deferment of the original a...
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Train strikes threaten freight movements
The biggest rail strike in modern history will affect all rail operations and potentially bring the country to a standstill next week. Our transport teams are working with our service providers on contingency plans that will keep freight moving.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has...
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Sea freight facing even more challenges
Low-sulphur fuel container ship bunker prices have increased by a third since Russia’s move on Ukraine, with bunker surcharges rising around 15% and expected to spike further with crude oil hitting new highs of more than double the price at the beginning of the year.
Expect the carriers to c...
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Freight market report – December 2021
With supply chains battling through overwhelmed transport systems, material shortages, and infrastructure disruptions for close on two years, we asked our partners in seven key markets to share their thoughts on critical operational elements, including demand, capacity and rates.
BANGLAD...
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£150m stolen from supply chains in 2020
Over £400,000 worth of goods in transit were stolen every day from Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) supply chains in 2020, even with many countries being under lockdown for much of the year.
The Transport Asset Protection Association (TAPA) recorded 6,463 cargo thefts across 56 countries...
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