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.

Supply chain: Ukraine crisis

UPDATED 2nd March: Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent sanctions and embargoes by the UK and other governments, will add further strain to international supply chains, that are still struggling with the protracted COVID pandemic and other disruption. The conflict is already impacting c... Read more

Brexit is causing ‘no trade issues’, despite evidence to the contrary

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the newly appointed Brexit secretary, says current supply chain disruptions are caused by the pandemic and not Brexit, despite disagreement from trade bodies, importers and exporters.  Mr Rees-Mogg has sparked controversy, after claiming that evidence shows Brex... Read more

Good news; HGV driver numbers increasing

A recent surge in HGV tests by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has massively increased the number of HGV drivers in the marketplace, with possible signs that the driver shortage crisis might finally be starting to subside. While there were 49,000 fewer HGV drivers in the workfor... Read more

Unwrapping the Plastic Packaging Tax

From the 1st April 2022, importers, will be expected to pay tax on any plastic packaging over 10 tonnes, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic, with penalties for those that fail to pay, declare, or register for the tax. Not a lot of people know that. But there is a potentially h... Read more

Out of position empty containers may cause further supply chain impact later this year

When global supply chains finally start to return to some form of normality, which many hope to see in the second half of the year, carriers face more headaches, with an avalanche of empty containers predicted to cause chaos. Who would have thought it? Full year 2021 demand for sea freigh... Read more

Post-Brexit changes and demand driving up customs brokerage costs

New post-Brexit customs rules mean extra processes around declaring goods, which is increasing demand for scarce brokerage resources and pushing up the price of imports to the UK. Despite the UK government investing over £700 million in border infrastructure and additional technolog... Read more

Valuable automotive RoRo vessel abandoned mid-Atlantic – and it is fully loaded

The Felicity Ace - which has not sadly sunk - was en-route from Germany to the USA, with 4,000 Volkswagen AG vehicles aboard, when it caught fire near the Azores islands in the Atlantic Ocean last week. The  Portuguese Air Force were the first to arrive at the stricken vessel, air-lifting of... Read more

Fears grow over new post-Brexit border checks

Post-Brexit border checks have been introduced in stages since last January and the latest, which come into force in July, may cost UK companies millions of pounds, as widely reported in the national press. Full checks and controls on imports of live animals and food at the GB border - which h... Read more

New Russia sanctions threaten automotive supply chains

Tensions have soared in recent months in Eastern Europe as Russia massed soldiers and heavy weapons at its border with Ukraine, raising fears of an invasion and the potential to cause even more global supply chain disruption. High-stake talks between Russia and the West have so far failed to d... Read more

Protecting our customers supply chains – future proofing during a tough time

We are taking all necessary steps to secure capacity, to protect our customers’ air and sea freight needs through expanded carrier relationships and selected charter deals. Even against the background of low capacity and record-breaking spot rates, airlines and shipping lines, for a variety ... Read more

The air cargo capacity challenge

Air freight has been hit particularly hard by the spread of COVID and the more recent Omicron variant, with governments shutting down routes at short notice and schedules in disarray as flight crews and ground staff are unavailable because of infection, or quarantine. The most significant and ... Read more

Winter storm disruption for US shippers

In yet another headache for shippers to and from the United States a widespread winter storm hit the central US and East Coast last week adding a new layer of disruption to supply chains beset by labour shortages, delays moving imports inland, and a general lack of warehousing and storage space. ... Read more