Category: Supply Chain

In a customer advisory last week we outlined the current situation and challenges in relation to the inbound ocean freight container trade from Asia (China, Far East, South East Asia and The Indian Subcontinent) into The UK and Europe. We highlighted the unprecedented challenges in Asia regard... Read more

The equipment shortage in China and Asia and the lack of vessel space on primary trade lanes are continuing to present significant supply chain challenges and while the UK’s port and transport infrastructure continues to struggle, stability is emerging in some areas. The port and terminal di... Read more

As consumer demand for Asian-made goods rebounded in the second half of 2020, the shipping lines decision to remove capacity by idling vessels and stop replenishing container supplies, had an almost instant impact on freight rates with the unbalanced sea freight supply and demand equation driving... Read more

British Airways’ (BA) cargo handling operation at Heathrow airport had been threatened with significant disruption following the announcement of further strikes, by members of the Unite union, in a nine day continuation of the action that started last December. The cargo handlers have calle... Read more

As part of their preparation for the UK’s new EU trading relationship the government committed to build new inland border facilities, to carry out customs compliance, transit, and Sanitary and Phytosanitary checks, including one facility opened beside Metro’s midland freight hub.  Sev... 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

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

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