News & Insights

The speed at which the shipping lines are announcing new blanked sailings is challenging, but what has grabbed our attention, is the new program just unveiled by MSC, which they are calling 'Suspension of Transit’ (SOT) This week has seen an acceleration of cancelled sailings on the Asia-Nor... Read more

Europe’s international trucking is under increasing pressure as border delays increase, prompting the Freight Transport Association (FTA) to urge EU member states to act on the EC guidelines on ‘green lanes’ for goods at borders, in order to ensure the continuous flow of trade. Gr... Read more

Global trade is the lifeblood of the world’s economy and a critical component in the well-being of all citizens, which is why decisions by governments to contain the virus need to address the consequences of a complete halt to trade and the short- and long-term effect such decisions will have o... Read more

Just days into the UK lockdown and the nation is getting used to the ‘new normal’, adopting new working practices and working from home. These bulletins are intended to keep you informed of the developing global supply chain reaction to the Coronavirus pandemic. As such they can make bleak... Read more

As the global Covid-19 crisis gathers pace and the UK is placed on a heightened lockdown, Metro Shipping and our partners in the resilient logistics sector continue to find ways to ensure cargo continues to move around the world. These are extraordinary and challenging times and it is essentia... Read more

What started as a local phenomenon in China has grown to a global pandemic within a few weeks. The impact on global supply chains has exposed some fundamental challenges of operating within such a highly integrated logistics environment. These unprecedented scenarios require us all to review h... Read more

The supply chain situation in China improves daily and Chinese factories are increasing output, but issues continue to hamper the backlog of factory orders and while ports and terminals are operating as normal, with the unprecedented level of blank sailings, it will take time before the buildup o... Read more

While ocean carriers are preparing for a return to fully booked ships on their Asian services, the air freight market in Asia is in turmoil as the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic starts to be felt. While Chinese factories are only approaching 60% capacity the lack of raw materials is already a... Read more

As the Coronavirus repercussions extend further outside of mainland China, business are braced for continued disruption across their global supply chains. Metro assures you of our continued vigilance and commitment to meeting these unprecedented challenges. Whilst recognising the effects of... Read more

UN/CEFACT is the United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business, which is working to automate and harmonise trade documents and the exchange of information in the international supply chain. The inclusion of Metro’s Technical Solutions Director, Simon George, in this respe... Read more

Asia press sources are reporting on surging freight rates, amid massive reductions in air and ocean capacity, following the weeks-long labour shortage and ongoing disruptions to logistics that have been hampering manufacturing operations in China. Reduced airfreight capacity has resulted in ra... Read more

The logistics environment in China is complex and evolving, with new, often unexpected challenges, emerging on a daily basis. We continue to explore new opportunities and solutions, like our revamped Sea Air solutions, to protect our customers from negative impacts. This comprehensive summary by ... Read more