Newsletter – June 13, 2019

  • 13

    Jun

    Newsletter – June 13, 2019
    AIR FREIGHT UPDATES
    Airfreight handlers hit by double-whammy of labour shortages and rising costs
    theloadstar.com
    The surge in air cargo volumes in 2017 and 2018 has pushed up yields for airlines, but cargo handlers are struggling with significant cost increases.  Read more here.
    OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES
    Commentary: Record number of empties – a logistical fact of life or a symptom of shipping dysfunction?
    freightwaves.com
    The Port of Los Angeles recently celebrated its best-ever April, handling 736,466 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). At a time of global trade uncertainty, a record-breaking month and an improved, year-on-year performance for the first four months of 2019 should be applauded. Read more here.
    Vancouver’s bid to become an international maritime centre stumbles
    splash247.com
    Created four years ago to much fanfare and a huge marketing blitz, the project to turn Vancouver into a major maritime hub is now on its last legs as changes in local and federal governments have seen state funding switched off for the ambitious project. Read more here.
    ‘Expect additional mergers and pray for no Hanjins’
    Americanshipper.com
    Financial burdens from the IMO’s 2020 sulfur cap, a projected slowdown in trade growth and the looming threat of overcapacity could bump out some carriers.  Read more here.
    CANADA BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES
    Halifax launches vessel forecast app
    canadianshipper.com
    Halifax, NS — The Port of Halifax is providing additional visibility on expected container vessel arrival times. A Vessel Forecast Summary (VFS) application is now live on the Port of Halifax Operations Centre; cargo owners and port service providers including terminal operators, pilots, tug operators, truckers and CN Rail now have access to an accurate estimate of container vessel arrivals at the Port of Halifax. Read more here.
    Port of Montreal Intermodal Scorecard for May Shows YoY Improvements
    ciffa.com
    The Port of Montreal has posted its May intermodal scorecard. It indicates year-over-year improvements in several metrics. Most notably, terminal dwell time for import rail is down to 1.7 days, from 2.4 days.
    Total truck processing time, while slightly up year over year, is at 47 minutes (versus 46 minutes in May 2018), but remains well below the Port’s target of 60 minutes.
    Overall, the Port handled close to 155,000 TEUs, making last month one of its highest-volume months on record.
    The Port took several measures to improve fluidity in collaboration with stakeholders. Among the reasons for its improved performance are:
    • Gates open from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.
    • A labour increase by terminal operators.
    • Extra efforts and collaboration by the railways to ensure an adequate supply of railcars. (CP and CN are collaborating to share equipment, reducing the number of maneuvers within the terminals that were required to ensure that railcars were properly assigned to contracted carriers.)

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