Following two attacks on a container ship belonging to the Danish shipping company Maersk Line in the Red Sea, the company has again suspended voyages through the affected area after deciding a few days earlier to venture through the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal, an important artery of world trade, remains off-limits to ships of most shipping companies following attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
Asia-to-Europe shippers are facing huge increases in sea freight costs, due to the escalation in missile and drone attacks by Houthi rebels on merchant shipping on passage to and from the Suez Canal. Ocean carriers are already charging war-risk surcharges, but with the situation deteriorating daily, shipping lines will increasingly look to re-route vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, rather than transiting the Suez Canal. This will add at least another 10 days to voyage times.
At the recent meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) dangerous goods panel, it was agreed to introduce a State of Charge (SoC) requirement of 30% for more categories of lithium ion batteries being transported by air.
As of 25 April 2024, container shipping lines will have to comply with the usual EU competition rules when cooperating with other carriers. The Block Exemption Regulation (BER) for shipping consortia will not be renewed but will expire on this date, the EU Commission has decided. The exemption from parts of competition law no longer brings advantages for competition in container shipping.
The approximately 80 kilometer long canal is one of the most important waterways in the world. It connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean in Central America.
Australien port authorities in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Freemantle have increased the frequency of weighing import containers to check whether the VGM (Verified Gross Mass as per SOLAS regulations) submitted is correct. Single containers are therefore being picked and weighed in the port of arrival.
Between June 12 and 23, the NATO exercise "Air Defender" will be conducted in European airspace. In Germany, air space will be reserved for military use for several hours. As a result, there may be temporary disruptions to civil air traffic. No exercise flights will take place at night or on Saturdays and Sundays.
The EU Commission is planning a reform of the Customs Union. This is a significant step towards strengthening the single market and promoting trade within the European Union. The Customs Union, which has existed since the 1950s, aims to reduce trade barriers between member states and establish a uniform trade policy.
With a record attendance of 230 delegates from over 60 countries, the annual meeting of the Cooperative Logistics Network "The Coop" ended on 13 March in Phuket, Thailand.
For today, 27 March 2023, the trade unions EVG and ver.di have announced large-scale warning strikes, once again deliberately throwing a spanner in the works of the economy and social life.
