Disruption response

Race against time for importers as links from Vancouver are re-established

Waterborne Canadian imports from Asia remain under pressure. Traffic links between the port of Vancouver and the Canadian interior are gradually being restored after they were severed by severe flooding, but the situation remains tenuous and a full recovery of cargo flows is still a long way off.
It could get even worse if container truckers serving the port were to move ahead with a threat of industrial action.
Work is progressing …

The post Race against time for importers as links from...

https://theloadstar.com/race-against-time-for-importers-as-links-from-vancouver-are-re-established/

New warning of ‘widespread disruption’ to trade on Brexit day

The UK’s National Audit Office has warned of “widespread disruption” after 1 January.
In a damning report on readiness for the end of the Brexit transition period, it acknowledges that some progress has been made, but it adds “timetables are tight”, Covid-19 has “exacerbated delays” and “significant risks remain”.
“There is little time for ports and other third parties to integrate their systems and processes with new or changed government systems, and contingency …

The post New warning of...

https://theloadstar.com/new-warning-of-widespread-disruption-to-trade-on-brexit-day/

BIFA bites back at ‘rubbish’ prophecies of forwarders’ death-by-tech

Digital disruptors will no more kill-off today’s forwarding sector than the advent of European rail did in the 1800s, according to director general of the British International Freight Association (BIFA), Robert Keen.
Mr Keen said it was simply “PR puff” to claim, as new ‘digital’ forwarder Beacon did yesterday, that the acceleration of digitalisation resulting from Covid-19 makes the future of the traditional freight forwarder more ‘precarious’ than ever.
“Over the past …

The post BIFA bites...

https://theloadstar.com/bifa-bites-back-at-rubbish-prophecies-of-forwarders-death-by-tech/

Beacon will disrupt ‘slow and inefficient’ forwarding market with Bezos cash

A new UK ‘digital’ forwarder, hoping to disrupt the industry’s “precarious” traditional methods, has received the ultimate accolade: investment from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
London-based Beacon, which styles itself as a “next-generation freight forwarding and supply chain finance company”, has raised $15m in series A funding, luring in not just Mr Bezos, but venture capital firm 8VC.
Beacon was founded in 2018 by two former Uber executives, Fraser Robinson, now CEO, and …

The post Beacon will...

https://theloadstar.com/beacon-will-disrupt-slow-and-inefficient-forwarding-market-with-bezos-cash/

Traditional freight forwarders the ‘true architects’ of transport

Traditional freight forwarders are the “true architects” of transport and, with the right tools, can beat fresh competition from digital disruptors and shipping lines. 
According to digital logistics start-up Qwyk, freight forwarders are well-positioned “to provide superior customer service to their rivals”.  
“Every shipper will choose a good customer experience over an average one, and from my point of view, this is where a digitised freight forwarder can score,” said...

https://theloadstar.com/traditional-freight-forwarders-the-true-architects-of-transport/

As global spend on IT rockets, so will its disruptive impact on logistics, says report

Disruption to logistics from technology is only beginning – its impact will increase as more investment pours into the industry.
According to a new study produced jointly by American Global Logistics and Logistics Trends & Insights, global spend on logistics IT will rise to $87.8bn by 2022, up 17% from the outlay in 2017.
The study’s authors say at least 3% of logistics IT investment in 2017 was funnelled into disruptive technologies, like artificial intelligence, robotics …

The post As global...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/global-spend-rockets-will-disruptive-impact-logistics-says-report/