Metro Archives | Page 30 of 33

Metro successfully test new eBL with FIATA

Aug 25, 2021 | Metro, MVT, Supply Chain, Technology, UNECE

Metro continues to actively support the development and adoption of emerging technology, across the shipping industry, by participating in the successful testing of new e-FIATA Bill of Lading (eFBL) standard, with FIATA , the trade association for 40,000 freight forwarding and logistics firms in 150 countries.

The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for adoption of the digital version of one of the most important trade documents – the bill of lading.

At ports and terminals around the world, goods cannot be released because the paper bill of lading is not there due to border restrictions, changes to the cargo’s routing, or people cannot physically stamp the document.

The ongoing disruption to trade, transport and the movement of documents, means that the digitisation of physical shipping documents is becoming much more significant

Several solution providers and carriers have offered proprietary versions of eBLs but the lack of standardisation has prevented large-scale adoption.

Metro’s tech experts work with the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (UN/CEFACT), to harmonise trade documents and the exchange of information in the supply chain

In 2021, FIATA will release its eFBL standard, which is based on the UN / CEFACT Multimodal Transport Reference Data Model, to ensure interoperability with other standards and most systems.

“From a trust perspective we definitely see value in the document audit trail and the possibility for stakeholders to check the validity of documents.”

Simon George, Technical Solutions Director, Metro Shipping

Earlier this month FIATA’s eFBL was tested by Metro, other freight-forwarding companies and software providers, as part of a proof of concept, aiming to make the open source standard available to all.

As part of the concept testing, Metro’s operations system generated a document that went electronically to FIATA’s servers, made an entry containing ‘issue date’ and ‘issued by’ as well as the document itself, which then sent back a FIATA bill of Lading directly into our operations system.

FIATA really appreciate Metro’s assistance, in testing the electronic FIATA Bill of Lading issuance, sharing and verification processes. The detailed feedback will ensure our eFBL solution does answer to the needs of members around the world.

Lucelia Tinembart, Digital Projects Officer, FIATA

FIATA is going even further by testing a tracking solution for its documents, which will allow full traceability, through a unique QR code and number attached to each document. This will enable all parties interacting with an eFBL to verify the validity of the document, the integrity of its content, as well as the identity of its issuer, by scanning the QR code or uploading the PDF on FIATA’s website.

Full implementation is planned to start in Q3 / 2021.

Metro believe that Blockchain, machine-learning and emerging technologies are the future of international trade. That’s why we work with UN/CEFACT and FIATA: to harmonise the exchange of information in the supply chain; and develop digital capability with critical documents like eBL’s.

For specific information, or to discuss how our technology could support your supply chain, please contact Simon George our Technical Solutions Director.

Supercharging MetroTeam productivity with ‘Focus Fridays’

Aug 12, 2021 | Metro

Focus Friday is our team’s day to take a deep breath and concentrate - free from internal distractions to focus further on you – our invaluable customers!

We all get frustrated when we cannot clear the big jobs because little tasks, interruptions, calls and meetings suck up all our time, and pretty soon, we find ourselves surrounded by unfinished jobs with no obvious solution.

Metro’s ‘Focus Friday’ initiative is when we work together to create the buffer needed to focus on creating real value for our customers.

The purpose of ‘Focus Friday’ is to provide time to work without distractions, and those come mainly in the form of meetings.

With few exceptions, our team will no longer book internal meetings on Fridays, but customer calls or meetings are still to be led by customer availability, regardless of which day.

Companies from Citigroup to Facebook have embraced the ‘Focus Day’ concept, setting aside one day per week to focus on personal work priorities without being interrupted by meetings to increase productivity and reduce stress.

An uninterrupted ‘Focus Friday’ diminishes subject or task switching, which means no winding down one task to prepare for a meeting and no wrapping up loose ends post-meeting before trying to get the focus back on the original task.

Research shows that when you switch tasks, a part of your brain is still thinking about the previous task. It takes some time for those thoughts to quiet down so you can concentrate fully on the task at hand. In the meantime, your performance suffers. Researchers call this phenomenon “attention residue.” And studies show it takes 25 minutes and 26 seconds on average to get back to the level of efficiency you were at before an interruption. This means task shifting, even briefly, can cost as much as 40% of productive time.

We believe that ‘Focus Friday’ will give our team time to proactively complete tasks at hand while reducing virtual meeting fatigue, preventing burnout, maintaining engagement, and boosting productivity. Uninterrupted. The internal planning and functions will still be completed with discipline before Friday or at the weekend.

‘Focus Friday’ is not a blanket policy because not all our teams operate the same way, and some work requires more collaboration than other kinds. Sometimes Friday is the only day they can get an important meeting on the calendar, or that’s simply the day the customer wants it.

We have continued business expansion throughout the pandemic and welcome enquiries from ambitious and driven individuals at any stage in their careers. To express interest in a position with Metro, contact Paul Moss, who heads our HR function.

We continue to handle the current environment with innovation and by encouraging our team's talent and development – with customer-driven satisfaction and expectations as our number one priority.

Metro ready for UK’s new single customs platform – are you?

Aug 12, 2021 | Customs, EU, Metro, MVT, Supply Chain, Technology

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) announced last week that the Customs Declaration Service (CDS), a system integrated with our market-leading technology, will serve as the UK’s single customs platform from 31st March 2023.

Operating since 1994, HMRC is finally retiring its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system on 31st March 2023, from when all customs declarations will be submitted through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS).

HMRC’s announcement that the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) will serve as the UK’s single customs platform from 2023 will end the current period of dual-running that has been operating with CHIEF.

CDS is currently used for Northern Ireland and Rest of World declarations and has already processed more than one million declarations since it went live in 2018.

Ahead of the complete CHIEF closure on the 31st March 2023, services on CHIEF will be withdrawn in two stages:

30th September 2022: import declarations close on CHIEF
31st March 2023: export declarations close on CHIEF / National Exports System (NES)

CDS is a key part of the government’s plans for a fully digitised border, in line with its 2025 UK border strategy.

Metro has been directly involved in the development of CDS, through the Joint Customs Consultative Committee (JCCC), as active members of The Association of Freight Software Suppliers and the British International Freight Association.

With the UK’s exit from the EU, and the migration to the new Customs Declaration Service (CDS) the changes to Customs procedures and systems will have a huge impact on importers and exporters.

Our brokerage team, which is one of the UK’s largest dedicated team of customs experts, are available to review your situation and provide advice on CDS migration and compliance.

Metro automate and submit customs declarations via CHIEF and CDS platforms through our CuDoS system, which is optimised in line with HMRC and EU regimes.

Please contact Simon George, leading our customs and brokerage business unit, for further information and assistance on CDS and automating your customs declarations.

COVID-19: The critical worker crisis

Aug 12, 2021 | Coronavirus, Metro, Road, Supply Chain

In an effort to protect supply chains and essential services the government released a list of sectors where fully vaccinated workers may be exempt from isolation if they are told to quarantine after coming into close contact with a positive COVID-19 case. Many of these are within the supply chain and global logistics platforms that are essential to businesses functioning successfully.

Fully vaccinated adults will no longer have to self isolate if they are ‘pinged’ from 7th August in Wales; 9th August in Scotland; and 16th August in England.

Instead, they will be advised to take a PCR ( if you have ever wondered what it stands for - polymerase chain reaction) test and can stop self-isolating if the result is negative. If the result is positive, they will need to self-isolate just like anyone else.

Until the 16th of August in England employers providing the critical services listed below can request a self-isolating exemption for named employees who are fully vaccinated.

Energy
Civil nuclear
Digital infrastructure
Food production and supply
Waste
Water
Veterinary medicines
Essential chemicals
Essential transport
Medicines and medical devices
Clinical consumable supplies
Emergency services
Border control
Essential defence outputs
Local government

Supermarket depot workers and food manufacturers will be exempt whatever their vaccination status and this is being extended to transport and freight workers, plus those working in the selected critical sectors.

Despite the government’s moves supply chains are missing critical personnel at every point, including ports, freight terminals, railheads and shipper warehouses, not to mention the continuing HGV driver crisis.

So far the government has ignored pleas to relax Brexit immigration rules to allow foreign drivers to return on a temporary basis and calls for the MoD to provide drivers is unlikely to have any impact on the situation. The government’s moves to increase working hours and streamline driver testing systems, to aid recruitment, will only have a marginal impact.

With the shortfall of drivers already standing at 100,000, any personnel loss through illness, self-isolation or move to higher-paying retailers is having a profound impact on haulier operations across the country and particularly around key ports and airports.

After years of underpayment and poor working conditions, a job as an HGV driver has become more attractive in recent months as a growing number of firms offer up-front bonuses and wage uplifts in an effort to attract and retain staff, though shippers are increasingly picking up the tab, through driver surcharges.

All the signs are that we are heading for worsening disruption, as drivers taking holidays are added to COVID-19 shortfalls, without any drivers to cover.

Road transport cannot be avoided, as part of the movement of goods, with drivers critical for container movements, international and domestic haulage.

Metro work with a number of reliable, selected long-term haulage and rail partners across the UK, to give us access to the widest pool of equipment and driver resource.

We frequently audit and manage our associated partners' standards and ensure the safety of all individuals within our platforms are always compliant with the current regulations and legislation.

To learn more, or to discuss your road transport requirements, please contact Elliot Carlile or Grant Liddell (or Simon Balfe who leads our UK multimodal transport operations) who can talk you through the options.