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 chains returning to just-in-time focus

The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply’s (CIPS) Procurement Futures conference brought together the most influential procurement professionals to figure out how to make supply chains more resilient, as buyers consider returning to just-in-time strategies, as port congestion eases. ... Read more

Award recognition for CuDoS customs platform

We are delighted to win Gold at the ‘Stevie' Sales and Customer Service Awards 2023, with our key technology partner, WNS, for their ground-breaking contribution to our CuDoS customs platform, in digitising customs declarations, enhancing customer experience and ensuring a smooth transitio... Read more

Important notice for exporters; Change to Certificate of Origin

The Certificate of Origin (CoO) is an important international trade document which certifies that goods are wholly obtained, produced, manufactured or processed in a particular country. The current UK Certificates of Origin will be changing from 1st April. The CoO declare the ‘nationali... Read more

Critical export customs changes draw near

HMRC will be writing to traders to raise awareness that all export declarations currently made through CHIEF, must be made through the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) by 30th November 2023 and that they must register for the service. The customs handling of import and export freight system (... Read more

New Customs framework agreed for Northern Ireland shipments

Business groups have welcomed the ‘Windsor framework’ deal announced on the 27th February, between the UK and EU over trading arrangements in Northern Ireland, which offer a considerable reduction in checks and documents to move goods across the Irish Sea and into the province. To avoid a ... Read more

US West Coast volumes drift to South and Southeastern ports

Negotiations between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) and West Coast port employers, represented by the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) began last May and while talks continue, both are hopeful of reaching a deal soon, as US importers continue to divert cargo to Eastern a... Read more

Metro continues its digital transformation journey

While the freight and logistics sector may be accused of lagging other industries, in developing its digital capability, Metro continues to develop service capability that goes beyond offering just supply-chain visibility. The investments we’ve made in systems and cloud networks create real-... Read more

March: Air freight market update

Softening air freight rates and no post-Chinese New Year recovery means the usual strong March pick-up will not recover a depressed market and any uptick in rates due to demand being focused toward Turkey after the earthquake has been short lived. Many key air freight trade lanes currently hav... Read more

Unaccompanied freight service milestone

Short-sea container, unaccompanied trailer services and the use of quieter regional ports have enjoyed something of a renaissance since Brexit, as more complex border controls have added to congestion and delays at the busiest Channel ports. DFDS’s Sheerness to Calais service has now moved m... Read more

Supply chain shock absorber

The COVID-19 pandemic turned the public gaze towards supply chains and a previously unrecognised business sector became a household name, but after two plus years of navigating monumental challenges, supply chain executives, are faced with more challenges and need to secure their supply chains be... Read more

Brighter looking future for China and Asia

The sidewalk booths, where residents took compulsory COVID tests almost daily, have gone and queues are again forming outside restaurants, while face masks, which were omnipresent for nearly three years, have almost disappeared, but some challenges remain. China’s Centre for Disease Control ... Read more

Exporting challenges and opportunities

In 2022, exports increased by 6.7% (after inflation), but this is still less than the value of pre-pandemic exports in 2018 and there were warning signs in the last quarter of 2022, with UK exports falling by 2.9% as economic headwinds took their toll. The challenges facing UK exporters in 202... Read more