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Rising Freight Crime Sparks Industry, Government and Police Action

Dec 4, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

Road haulage operators are on high alert as criminal activity peaks during the dark winter months, with investigations revealing how organised gangs are posing as legitimate operators, buying haulage companies, and infiltrating supply chains to steal trailer loads.

The scale of the threat is escalating, with freight-theft losses rising from £68m in 2023 to £111m in 2024 and industry experts warn the true cost could be up to seven times higher once vehicle damage, increased insurance, business disruption and wider supply chain impact are factored in.

A new national “flagging system” is now being trialled to better distinguish freight crime from general vehicle theft, enabling police and government to measure the true scale of the problem and coordinate a national response.

But the challenge remains vast, with criminals using increasingly sophisticated methods to identify high-value loads, monitor haulage movements, and exploit vulnerable roadside parking areas.

Curtain-slashing, door breaches, cloned paperwork and even purchasing haulage firms are increasingly common tactics. Popular stolen products — electronics, alcohol, tobacco, clothing and FMCG — are quickly dispersed across underground retail networks, fuelling other forms of organised crime.

Industry and Law Enforcement Mobilise

The Road Haulage Association (RHA), National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), and transport bodies stress the urgent need for improved secure parking, stronger site accreditation, and better reporting structures.

NaVCIS, part-funded by the logistics industry, is already supporting police forces nationwide through Operation Opal, targeting serious organised acquisitive crime.

However, police leaders acknowledge resources have been “stretched” and further funding is critical to tackling the organised element of freight theft at scale.

Industry associations are also stepping up coordination. The Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA) — which logged more than 5,800 cargo crime incidents in the UK in two years — has joined forces with The British International Freight Association (BIFA) to improve intelligence-sharing, strengthen supply chain security and support hauliers. Their collaboration aligns with the proposed Freight Crime Bill, due for its second reading in Parliament this month, following research by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Freight and Logistics estimating freight-related crime cost the UK economy £700m in 2023.

Secure parking remains a priority, with the Park Mark Freight scheme establishing strict standards for perimeter security, CCTV, lighting and on-site patrols. Yet many motorway service areas and truck stops still fall short of best practice, leaving drivers and loads exposed.

Metro’s Proactive Steps to Reduce Cargo Theft

Metro takes a layered approach to reducing theft risk, combining trained personnel, rigorous procedures, and secure equipment. Our national fleet operates with:

  • Two or three-man crews for visibility and safety
  • Box trailers, providing enhanced protection compared with curtainsiders
  • Secure, well-lit, accredited parking facilities
  • Advanced tracking and monitoring for high-value loads

In addition, all Metro drivers follow strict security protocols, including:

  • Minimising unattended vehicle time
  • Avoiding discussions about load or route details
  • Conducting load and trailer checks after every stop
  • Reporting any irregularity in route, delivery address or customer instructions
  • Never picking up hitchhikers
  • Maintaining heightened awareness in known hotspot areas

These measures significantly reduce exposure. However, even the best operational precautions cannot eliminate risk entirely, especially when organised crime groups target all types of cargo, not just high-value shipments.

Why Insurance Matters More Than Ever

One of the harsh realities of rising freight crime is that standard carrier liability rarely covers the true value of goods. Carrier limits are calculated by weight, not cargo value, meaning claims for electronics, fashion, luxury goods and pharmaceuticals often fall short of replacement cost.

Metro strongly recommends securing All Risk marine insurance, which provides comprehensive cover against loss, theft, and damage throughout the entire transit and storage journey. We partner with leading insurance providers to offer:

  • Per-shipment or annual policies
  • Flexible, competitively priced cover
  • Protection aligned to specific cargo profiles
  • Specialist support for high-value and sensitive goods

With freight crime rising sharply — and becoming more sophisticated — comprehensive insurance is no longer optional. It is a critical layer of risk protection for every supply chain.

For more information on All Risk marine insurance and how to protect your cargo, EMAIL Laurence Burford, CFO at our Birmingham HQ.

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France Ends Regime 42: What It Means for Exporters and Why You Should Attend Metro’s December Customs Webinar

Nov 10, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

France will withdraw Regime 42 from 1 January 2026, removing the VAT simplification that currently allows goods to enter France without import VAT when they are destined for another EU member state.

The ending of Regime 42 has attracted little publicity, but it will directly affect UK exporters shipping on DDP terms through the primary Dover–Calais Channel crossing.

Under DDP, the UK exporter is responsible for EU import formalities. Once Regime 42 is removed, any DDP shipment entering France will require French import VAT accounting, unless the exporter holds a French VAT registration. For many businesses, this introduces new administrative steps and potential cash-flow exposure.

Some exporters may look to reroute via alternative EU entry points, like Belgium or the Netherlands, where Regime 42 will continue. However, the Dover–Calais corridor remains the fastest, most reliable and most cost-efficient route into mainland Europe.

Diverting freight via Belgian or Dutch ports will inevitably add cost, extend transit times and risk congestion if volumes surge.

To ensure continuity, Metro can support exporters with three practical solutions:

  • T1 Transit Solution
    Goods can transit France under a T1, avoiding the need to pay French import VAT. Clearance takes place at the final EU destination, maintaining full route flexibility.
  • French VAT Registration and Returns
    For exporters wishing to continue using Dover–Calais without a transit procedure, Metro can arrange and manage French VAT registration and periodic returns.
  • Routing via alternative port pairs
    Where customers prefer to use Dutch or Belgian ports to retain Regime 42 benefits, Metro can support and coordinate these routings through established carrier and agent networks.

For many DDP exporters, the T1 transit route or French VAT registration, supported by Metro, will offer the best combination of compliance, speed and cost-efficiency.

Exporters should review their EU import arrangements early to ensure seamless operations ahead of January 2026.

Metro’s customs and compliance specialists are working with exporting customers to identify exposure, adapt procedures, and ensure every movement remains compliant and cost-efficient under the new rules.

EMAIL Andrew Smith, Managing Director, to discuss how we can help safeguard your European exports and keep your goods flowing smoothly through the transition.

Upcoming Metro Webinar: Essential Customs Changes for 2026

To help businesses prepare for these and other major regulatory shifts, Metro’s customs specialists will host a one-hour webinar in December.

Webinar Title

Avoid EU Border Disruption in 2026: The Key Customs Changes and How to Prepare Now

What We’ll Cover
A focused, practical review of:

  • ICS2 and the new GB ENS requirements
  • The end of Regime 42 in France: who is affected and what to do
  • French Douane ELO rules and their impact on all French port traffic
  • EUDR, CBAM and the UK’s expected approach
  • 2026 trade agreements and anticipated regulatory changes
  • Accessing CDS data free of charge
  • De minimis rule changes and the end of low-value relief
  • Compliance requirements for 2026 – what they mean in real terms

5 December @ 11:00 AM (1 hour) – CLICK TO BOOK

Exporters, importers and supply chain managers are strongly encouraged to attend. This session provides clarity on the border changes that will define 2026, and the actions businesses need to take now to stay compliant and competitive.

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When the Suez Canal Comes Back Online: Hidden Risks for Supply Chains

Oct 28, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With hopes rising of stabilising conflict in the Red Sea region, analysts are increasingly considering what it would mean if shipping lines resume full use of the Suez Canal route, and it’s not all good news. 

While the shorter route from Asia to Europe might seem like a logistical boon, the modelling suggests there are several material pitfalls ahead that shippers need to be aware of.

Since late 2023, container shipping lines operating on Asia–Europe and Asia–North America routes have avoided the Suez Canal, opting instead to sail around the Cape of Good Hope. This detour has extended transit times and absorbed a significant amount of global container capacity. According to Sea-Intelligence, a full and immediate return to the Suez Canal could release up to 2.1 million TEU of capacity, equivalent to around 6.5 % of the global fleet, back into circulation.

However, this sudden release would create a powerful surge of imports into Europe. Modelling suggests that if all carriers reverted to Suez routing at once, inbound volumes from Asia could double for a period of up to two weeks, pushing overall port handling demand almost 40 % higher than previous peaks. 

Even if the transition were more gradual, spread over six to eight weeks, European ports would still face throughput levels around 10 % above historical highs, straining terminal operations, inland connections, and storage capacity.

Key Areas of Risk

  • European Port Congestion and Hinterland Strain
    European ports are already under pressure. A sudden import surge could stretch terminal capacity, yard space, and inland networks, leading to delays, higher handling costs, and increased demurrage.
  • Short-Term Disruption Despite Long-Term Gains
    While the Suez route offers shorter transits and lower fuel use, the transition back is complex. Network structures have been rebuilt around the Cape, and reverting will require major re-engineering, with temporary schedule changes and service disruption.
  • Lingering Risk and Insurance Costs
    The security issues that diverted ships from Suez persist. Even after reopening, residual war-risk premiums and contingency measures could keep operating costs elevated.
  • Capacity Overshoot and Rate Pressure
    Releasing 2.1 million TEU of capacity is likely to swing supply–demand balance, pushing rates down and while shippers may benefit in the short-term, it is likely that carriers would take drastic action to protect margins.
  • Timing and Readiness
    The timing of a full return remains uncertain. Analysts stress that rushing back before networks and ports are ready could trigger fresh disruption rather than restoring stability.

Metro’s sea freight team are already modelling reopening scenarios to ensure capacity, routing, and contingency plans are ready when trade flows shift back through the Suez Canal. 

EMAIL Managing Director, Andrew Smith to arrange a strategic review of your shipping patterns, risk exposure, and options to protect service continuity and cost efficiency when routes realign.

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One Minute Late, Thousands Lost: U.S. Customs Tightens Enforcement Across All Modes

Oct 22, 2025 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

In U.S. trade compliance, even a one-minute delay can be costly. Recent cases show importers and logistics partners facing thousands of dollars in penalties simply because mandatory filings were completed moments after official cut-off times.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has stepped up automated monitoring across all major modes. For ocean freight, the Importer Security Filing (ISF-10) and manifest submissions must be lodged 24 hours before vessel loading. In airfreight, the Air Cargo Advance Screening (ACAS) system requires pre-departure data to be transmitted electronically before goods leave origin. And for trucking, particularly on north- and south-bound cross-border movements, the ACE eManifest must be filed at least one hour before arrival at the border. In all cases, late filings, even by seconds can trigger massive penalties or cargo holds.

The increased use of digital systems means there is now almost zero tolerance for timing errors. CBP’s automated compliance tools record submission times to the second, leaving little room for discretion or appeal.

This sharper focus on procedural precision comes amid a wider enforcement drive targeting customs fraud. In a separate case this month, two executives at a Los Angeles-based wholesale clothing importer were jailed and their company hit with a multi-million dollar fine for systematically under-valuing goods to reduce duties.

The message is clear: whether it’s filing times or declared values, compliance margins have all but disappeared.  To avoid finding yourself on the wrong side of a deadline lapse, it is critical that risks are mitigated:

  • Integrate automated alerts in your customs-filing systems so you’re aware of lead-time requirements well in advance.
  • Build a buffer into your internal processes: treat the submission cutoff as real time, and build in a buffer to allow for any delay.
  • Ensure your documentation and data (B/L numbers, consignee information, classification) are final and entered before the time cut-off — incomplete entries are a common cause of last-minute corrections and delay.

The Critical Take-Away

For businesses based in the UK or EU working with U.S. supply chains, this is a reminder that compliance deadlines are not just internal housekeeping, they carry real cost. When operational bottlenecks or last-minute changes push a filing even seconds late, the financial consequences can be large. Work closely with your U.S. customers and brokers to ensure that your entry process is streamlined, accurately filed and firmly upstream of any bottleneck.

Metro’s U.S. brokerage teams combine deep CBP compliance expertise with our advanced CuDoS customs automation platform, ensuring every declaration meets filing deadlines accurately and on time. EMAIL Andrew Smith, Managing Director, to learn how our integrated systems and on-the-ground U.S. presence can help safeguard your business and keep your supply chain fully compliant.

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