Newsletter – February 25, 2020

OCEAN FREIGHT UPDATES

Threat of more Lake Ontario flooding may prompt a delay in commercial shipping

democratandchronicle.com

The prospect of still more flooding on the Lake Ontario shoreline has driven regulators to consider an unprecedented delay in the start of the commercial shipping season.

An international board could vote as soon as Friday to ramp up the release of water from Lake Ontario to such an extreme rate that safe navigation on the St. Lawrence River would become impossible. Read more here.

Carriers That Invested in Scrubbers May Find the Cost Higher Than Expected

gcaptain.com

By Gavin van Marle – Shipping lines that have invested in scrubber technology to comply with the IMO 2020 low-sulphur regulations may be forced to reconsider the wisdom of their investment, as fuel producers appear to be looking for ways to push prices up. Read more here.

DP World acquires Fraser Surrey Docks

dpworld.com

DP World, the leading enabler of global trade, and one of the world’s largest port operators, announced today it has completed the acquisition of Fraser Surrey Docks from Macquarie Infrastructure Partners (MIP) alongside its partner Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ). Read more here.

GROUND AND RAIL FREIGHT UPDATES

Coronavirus: Container truck drivers returning to Ningbo port

lloydsloadinglist.com

Container truck drivers are quickly returning to Ningbo, home to the world’s third-busiest box port, following policy support to help unclog the port traffic amid the fallout from coronavirus. Read more here.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS – GOVERNMENT UPDATES

Coronavirus hitting labour-intensive electronics and auto sectors hardest

theloadstar.com

China’s extended factory and transport shutdown is still seriously impacting global supply chains, with forwarders grappling with resulting cashflow constraints.

According to Taiwan-based market intelligence firm TrendForce, the coronavirus fallout has had the biggest impact on the consumer electronics and automobile industries. Read more here.