Ex-Asia Ocean Spot Rates Surge as Carriers Withdraw Capacity
Asia–Europe ocean freight markets have tightened significantly through Q4, with carriers implementing repeated rate increases and withdrawing substantial capacity from key services.
Since early October, freight-all-kinds (FAK) levels have been raised at roughly fortnightly intervals, pushing...
Read more
Rising Freight Crime Sparks Industry, Government and Police Action
Road haulage operators are on high alert as criminal activity peaks during the dark winter months, with investigations revealing how organised gangs are posing as legitimate operators, buying haulage companies, and infiltrating supply chains to steal trailer loads.
The scale of the threat is e...
Read more
France Ends Regime 42: What It Means for Exporters and Why You Should Attend Metro’s December Customs Webinar
France will withdraw Regime 42 from 1 January 2026, removing the VAT simplification that currently allows goods to enter France without import VAT when they are destined for another EU member state.
The ending of Regime 42 has attracted little publicity, but it will directly affect UK exporter...
Read more
Continued Airfreight Growth Amid Emerging Challenges
Global air freight markets have continued to post positive year-on-year growth through September and October, reinforced by stronger than anticipated build up to peak season volumes, but recent indicators point to a moderating pace and emerging challenges that merit close attention.
While rece...
Read more
When the Suez Canal Comes Back Online: Hidden Risks for Supply Chains
With hopes rising of stabilising conflict in the Red Sea region, analysts are increasingly considering what it would mean if shipping lines resume full use of the Suez Canal route, and it’s not all good news.
While the shorter route from Asia to Europe might seem like a logistical boon, th...
Read more
One Minute Late, Thousands Lost: U.S. Customs Tightens Enforcement Across All Modes
In U.S. trade compliance, even a one-minute delay can be costly. Recent cases show importers and logistics partners facing thousands of dollars in penalties simply because mandatory filings were completed moments after official cut-off times.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has steppe...
Read more
Carriers Pull Sailings and Add GRIs as US Port Fees Add New Cost Layer
Container lines are tightening capacity to defend freight rates just as new U.S. port fees on China vessels start on 14 October—costs that carriers say will be passed through to shippers.
In the run-up to contracting season, the shipping alliances have stepped up blank sailings to support pr...
Read more
Airfreight Cools; Growth Still Building
Even though air cargo is easing back after a brisk summer, global tonnages rose in the third quarter, with eCommerce redrawing lanes and hub dynamics, while UK airport expansions point to a more connected decade ahead.
Worldwide air cargo tonnages were up 4% YoY in Q3 2025 and while average sp...
Read more
Ex-China Airfreight: Turbulence and Transformation
For shippers moving goods by air into Europe and the US, the peak season has arrived with a complexity not seen in recent years. As flights are cancelled and rates trend sharply upward, a fundamental reshaping of the marketplace is underway.
In September, a powerful typhoon swept through south...
Read more
US Targets Tariff Evasion
The White House has launched a revitalised Trade Fraud Task Force to clamp down on tariff evasion and customs violations. This coordinated cross-agency initiative is set to bring sharper enforcement tools and greater scrutiny to a trading environment already complicated by regulatory uncertainty ...
Read more
Growth Sustained, But Reliability and Policy Risks Loom for Air Freight
Air cargo volumes surprised on the upside again in August, rising by around 5% year on year, the second consecutive month of growth at this pace. Capacity also increased by 4%, though yields came under pressure as rates softened.
Despite the stronger demand, the outlook for Asia–Europe and A...
Read more
Resetting UK–EU trade
Five years on from the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) and with the 2026 review fast approaching, the UK and EU have a chance to move beyond firefighting and design a trading relationship that works in today’s economy.
A new Parliamentary report from the Chartered Institute of Export &...
Read more