Newsletter – January 21, 2020

AIR FREIGHT UPDATES

Cargo volumes dropped at major European airports in 2019

freightwaves.com

With few exceptions, 2019 will not be remembered as a good year for air cargo at European airports.

Several of the region’s largest air cargo hubs have recently reported year-over-year volume declines, and most cited some combination of economic slowdown, U.S.-China trade tensions and local issues as reasons for the poor performance. Major European airlines also suffered cargo volume declines in 2019. Read more here.

Air India will remain our national carrier, orders government: no foreign owner

theloadstar.com

Air India must continue to be majority owned by Indian nationals and the board must be made up of 60% Indians, according to reports covering the attempted privatisation of the carrier,

The government has rejected a plan which would have allowed dilution of ownership: it can be no more than 49% foreign-owned and the carrier’s headquarters must remain in India. Read more here (login required).

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Low sulphur fuel found to have higher black carbon emissions than HSFO

splahsh247.com

Mandated into law for less than three weeks and very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), shipping’s new number one bunkering choice, is already facing calls to be banned, especially in Arctic waters. Read more here.

OOCL announces raft of cancelled Chinese New Year transpacific sailings

seanews.com.tr

COSCO’s Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) has cancelled numbers of transpacific sailings in response to the annual Chinese New Year slowdown, the Hong Kong-based company announced. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Snowstorms returning to Pacific Northwest this week (with forecast video)

freightwaves.com

Snowstorms will soon return to the mountain ranges of the western U.S. But at least every region of the country will be free of widespread disruptive weather for the very early part of the week. Read more here.