Unilever opts for Maersk to manage its global ocean and air logistics

Maersk has signed a four-year contract with FMCG and food production giant Unilever to provide operational management of its global ocean and air freight transport.
The agreement will also see the carrier develop and manage Unilever’s International Control Tower Solution, which will build on the Virtual Ocean Control Tower debuted earlier this year and be underpinned by Maersk´s digital supply chain platform, NeoNav, a core part of the agreement.
“We are excited …

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Hopes high for post-Covid resurgence of cruise industry logistics sector

Recently, cruise ships have converged on the Caribbean island of St Vincent, but their passengers are not the customary pleasure-seekers – the vessels were dispatched for the evacuation of locals whose lives are threatened by the eruptions of the La Soufriere volcano.
This was not the restart the cruise lines anticipated, but they are hoping normal business will resume soon.
In the US, the industry has targeted 4 July, reported Maxine Krajniak …

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Aggressive carriers ‘biting the hand that feeds them’ as importers shun China

There are growing signs that the sky-high freight prices on the Asia-Europe trades may be beginning to structurally undermine it, as European importers begin to look for alternatives to sourcing from China.
Keith Gaskin, group commercial director of Seko Logistics in the UK, said: “I am seeing importers in the UK and Europe actively telling their merchandisers to look for near-shoring solutions, because the freight rates from Asia have reached such …

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Vaccines: a shot in the arm for economies – and retail forwarders

The UK is among those countries looking forward to an economic rebound when lockdown finally comes to an end – alongside expected newfound consumer confidence following a (literal) jab in the arm. With an extra £125bn holed up in bank accounts, as consumers have been unable to consume much, the Bank of England is expecting a nice fillip for the economy. And forwarders are gearing up for an influx of …

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Retailers sinking deeper as supply chain problems and cost challenges bite

Retailers are struggling to cope with the impact of the pandemic on their business – woes mirrored in their supply chains, which show serious deficiencies on multiple fronts.
But the overall pressure they are under affects their ability to overcome these challenges.
In a study published recently by LogiSource in partnership with Coresight Research, 88% of retail executives surveyed reported that the Covid-19 pandemic had at least a moderately negative impact on …

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UK shippers demand parliamentary inquiry into port congestion

Some of the UK’s largest shippers have written to MPs demanding a parliamentary inquiry into the port congestion crippling the country’s container supply chains.
A letter from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Food and Drink Federation (FDF) to Lilian Greenwood MP, chair of the Commons Transport Select Committee, and Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, chair of the Commons International Trade Committee, describes importers as facing “major challenges in building up stock …

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Bleak picture of financial exposure to major shippers from UK port congestion

The financial impact on the UK’s biggest shippers from the port congestion crippling the country’s container supply chains could amount to over £15bn ($19.7bn), according to new research.
Risk management firm Russell Group today released new analysis that shows the top 10 UK importers that use Southampton have a combined financial exposure to the congestion at the port of £3.88bn. The list is headed by BP, Shell and Tesco.
However, that figure …

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Cainiao launches open tender for 2021 logistics services – but be quick

Cainiao Smart Logistics Network, the logistics arm of Chinese-e-commerce platform Alibaba, today launched an open tender for logistics services for next year.
It is calling on logistics providers in key markets including North Asia, South-east Asia, Europe, the Middle East, ANZ and the US.
However, those interested in bidding for the company’s business have just five days, as the deadline for submissions is 15 December.
The tender is segmented into B2C and B2B …

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Carriers bullish as shipping contract talks loom: ‘it won’t be a buyer’s market’

European shippers are finding it increasingly difficult to begin annual contract negotiations with container shipping lines.
November is the traditional start of the annual contract negotiating season on the Asia-Europe trade, with deals mostly signed by the end of the year.
However, after the astonishing gains on a spot market which grew another 9% this week, it appears the relationship between carriers and their customers could be fundamentally different in 2021.
Anecdotal reports …

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