What We're Reading: BDP Trendwatch Week 5

Supply chains plan for coronavirus disruption

Shippers looking to transport products out of mainland China will see a reduction in airfreight capacity as Cathay Pacific, a major passenger and cargo airline for the region, will cut its capacity "50% or more" starting Jan. 30 until the end of March 2020, the airline announced Tuesday.

One Apple supplier, Foxconn Technology Group, told media Tuesday it is monitoring the situation and has "measures in place to ensure that we can continue to meet all global manufacturing obligations."

Source: Supply Chain Dive

 

US expands tariffs to cover steel- and aluminum-based items

The U.S. will expand existing 25% tariffs on steel and 10% tariffs on aluminum to cover imports of several items made from the metals, including steel nails, tacks, staples wires and cables, a White House proclamation published Friday stated. The duties take effect Feb. 8.

Source: Supply Chain Dive
 

Airlines cancel more mainland China flights to counter virus

Airlines across the globe suspended more flights to China, as governments clamped down on travel to help stop the spread of the deadly Wuhan virus.
British Airways halted daily routes to Beijing and Shanghai from London’s Heathrow airport, after U.K. officials advised against non-essential travel. The U.K. flag carrier said it would reassess over the next few days.

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. said separately it would cut capacity to China by 50% or more starting Thursday, while United Airlines Inc. in the U.S. said it would reduce flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Source: American Journal of Transportation

 

What changes after Brexit Day on Jan. 31?

Brexit Day, or "Exit Day" as Prime Minister Boris Johnson would have it, is nearly upon us. On Friday, Britain will officially leave the European Union, after more than four decades with the closest of ties.

What will change? Nothing! At least, at first.

For the rest of 2020, free trade and free movement between the United Kingdom and the E.U. will continue. Britain will still contribute to the E.U. budget. And it will still have to abide by E.U. laws — even though British members of the European Parliament will have packed their bags and lost their say in how those laws are determined.

Source: The Washington Post

 

Four ways blockchain is changing the food supply chain

Food supply chains are long, complicated processes that get edibles from farms to the dinner table. Many individuals, companies and countries are involved in ensuring that a wide variety of food is available worldwide. With so many links in the chain, however, a lot of inventory and communications end up getting lost along the way — despite the implementation of modern technology and systems.

Blockchain is here to fix those communication problems. Acting as a record keeper for multiple industries, it can keep track of everything and make sure the system flows correctly at all times. And while mere record keeping doesn't seem like something that can totally change how the industry operates, blockchain ups the game.

Source: Supply Chain Brain

 

Climate change report highlights risks to U.K. ports

The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership (MCCIP) has released a report on the current and future impacts of climate change in the U.K., noting that disruption to operations could occur, especially in ports, which are potentially sensitive to weather-related disruption (including wind, heat, cold and fog).

The MCCIP Report Card summarizes information from 26 individual, peer-reviewed scientific reports commissioned by MCCIP and written by scientists from across the U.K., providing detailed evidence of observed and projected climate-change impacts which highlight emerging issues and knowledge gaps.

Source: The Maritime Executive

 

Shippers brace for delays as coronavirus keeps China's factories closed

Container shippers should expect more blanked sailings and increased freight rates if China’s coronavirus outbreak extends factory closures, while airlines are scrambling to reduce flights into the country.

The government has already extended the lunar new year holiday until 2 February, but workers in major cities like Shanghai and Ningbo have been told to stay home until 10 February.

Source: The Loadstar