News & Insights

Our alerts, news and guides embrace all transport modes and explore global developments across all aspects of the supply chain, to keep you informed and guide decision making.

New appointment further strengthens European team and platform expansion

Metro’s award-winning European solutions will be enhanced, expanded and advanced by new European Director, and industry veteran, Richard Gibbs. Commenting on his new role, Richard said. “Metro have a familiar and dependable partner network in place, with the ability to exten... Read more

Beating the transatlantic logistics challenge

The ocean freight trade-lane between Europe and the United States is dominated by a handful of large carriers and while we have good relationships and work closely with those carriers, we also maintain a roster of smaller carriers, for tactical use, including one which has a particular pedigree. ... Read more

The benefits of the new UK Freeports

Freeports are ‘customs free zone’, areas within the UK’s customs territory, with different customs and tax rules, which aim to promote trade and business by lowering duty, tax and paperwork costs. In March 2021, following the UK’s departure from the EU, the Government announced plans t... Read more

Metro expand further in India

With an expanding team of 50+ colleagues, led by UK trained ‘super-users’, Metro have taken possession of a newly commissioned premises in Chennai, after a traditional Puja ritual to spiritually celebrate the office opening and launch of our new Indian entity, M-... Read more

China’s Zero-COVID release may boost global economy

The move by President Xi Jinping to lift China’s zero-COVID strategy and ease travel restrictions has raised hopes that it may soften the blow of higher global interest rates, unleashing production lines and unlocking supply chains after a turbulent three years. From the 8th January 2023&nbs... Read more

The new logistics normal in 2023; Part 1

For almost three years shippers, forwarders and carriers, across all modes, have battled unparalleled global supply chain disruptions and, as the massive consumer driven volumes finally subsides, some suggest that the “new normal” is manifesting on a global scale. The desire for norma... Read more

Air France and KLM sign inaugural environmental deal with Metro

Metro is the first of the airlines’ customers in the United Kingdom to invest in their joint, innovative Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programme, confirming our shared ambition to contribute to the development of reduced greenhouse gases within the aviation logistics sector.  (Pictured ... Read more

£100 million boost to improve HGV roadside facilities

Last year the shortage of HGV drivers forced the Government to issue temporary visas to experienced foreign drivers and also as a consequence retailers to poach drivers away from carriers and the more general logistics environment, to fill the gaps, amid fears of empty shelves befo... Read more

December 2022; Freight market summary review

As freight prices on every mode return to relative stability and the worst effects of inflation work though, the market is expected to rebalance, achieve ‘correction’ and ultimately recover with slow growth in 2023. The spiking freight rates on all modes are falling away and... Read more

Heathrow; officially number one…and number two

COVID had a profound impact on air travel and the airports that support it, with the bulk of the world’s airline fleet grounded, global passenger volumes down 75% and Heathrow slipping to Europe’s 10th busiest airport during the pandemic. Aviation especially saw a decline within passe... Read more

Labour disputes in the global supply chain (a winter of discontent)

Strikes and industrial action continues to plague ports, airports, transport infrastructure and international and domestic supply chains and while much attention has been focused on UK, European and North American situations, the wave of disputes have been spreading to Asia, South Afric... Read more

FX Update; Predicting the Pound’s (£’s) performance in 2023

Having fallen against the US Dollar since Q2 2022, the Pound has recently touched fresh highs against both the Euro, US Dollar and many other global trading currencies, raising the question; will the Pound continue to rise from its October lows, when it flirted with Euro and D... Read more