Commentary / Japan Mar 30, 2021
Stuck in the Suez, a warning to the world
by Brad Glosserman
The closure is not unprecedented. The Suez canal has been blocked five times: three times by accidents and twice because of regional politics.
Business Mar 30, 2021
By the end of the drama, the tailback of ships had reached 425 at the two ends of the canal.
Business / Corporate Mar 19, 2021
ANA sees global chip shortage as good cargo opportunity in 2021
by Shiho Takezawa and Masatsugu Horie
The expects its cargo unit to receive a boost this year as planes loaded with semiconductors help accelerate deliveries to automakers and consumer-electronics manufacturers.
World Feb 6, 2021
Fifteen-hour Brexit wait prompts freight firms to avoid U.K.
by Lizzy Burden
While Britain and the European Union agreed not to impose tariffs on goods, so-called non-tariff barriers are nevertheless creating obstacles for business.
Business / Corporate Apr 30, 2020
Airlines remodel idle passenger planes into air freighters to keep cargo moving
Growing demand for distribution of emergency supplies, such as face masks, around the globe is also prompting aviation firms to make such moves.
World Apr 10, 2020
Amid pandemic, it’s getting a lot harder to ship food around the world
The port backups that have paralyzed food shipments around the world for weeks aren’t getting much better. In fact, in some places, they’re getting worse. In the Philippines, officials at a port that’s a key entry point for rice said earlier this week the terminal ...
Business Apr 7, 2020
Seafarers grounded in pandemic add to strain on supply chains
Port restrictions and canceled flights are straining the ability for shipping firms to replace seafarers, further weakening global supply chains already snarled by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hubs like Singapore, Abu Dhabi and Shanghai have halted most crew transfers, while global lockdowns have complicated travel from ...
Business / Corporate Mar 26, 2020
Coronavirus-hit airlines swap passengers for cargo to stay aloft
Unable to fill planes with passengers as the coronavirus destroys travel demand, airlines are instead using their fleets to transport more cargo, including medicines, smartphones and Korean strawberries. The likes of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., Korean Air Lines Co. and American Airlines Group Inc. are ...
Business / Corporate Feb 5, 2020
Air cargo carriers say China demand weak despite passenger flight cuts amid virus
Major air cargo carriers said they have no immediate plans to add China flights to replace the capacity lost amid steep cuts to passenger travel due to the new coronavirus, as many factories have remained shut down after the Lunar New Year. Aviation data firm ...
Business Sep 27, 2019
Tanker costs surge as Chinese firms face sanctions over Iran oil
Oil tanker costs are surging after the U.S. slapped sanctions on Chinese companies it accused of hauling Iranian crude on Wednesday, prompting a scramble in freight markets to secure alternative vessels. Rates for ships hauling 2 million-barrel cargoes of Middle East oil to Asia have ...
Business Jun 3, 2019
Air cargo carriers caught in crossfire of Trump-China trade dispute
by William Wilkes, Benjamin Katz and Kyunghee Park
U.S. President Donald Trump's intensifying trade war with China dented air cargo traffic even before FedEx Corp. got dragged into the brawl, as companies worldwide reconfigure their supply chains in the face of increasing tariffs. Global cargo demand fell 4.7 percent in April from a ...
Business Nov 20, 2018
'Yellow vest' protests block fuel depots in France, as retailers feel the pinch
Protesters angered by higher fuel taxes blocked access to three oil depots in France and sporadic unrest erupted in the overseas territory of Reunion, in a third day of demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's economic reforms. Up to 20,000 protesters clad in fluorescent high-visibility jackets ...