The expansion of a port is a step closer after a consortium of British and European lenders agreed a £200m package of loans. The investors – including Allianz, RBS, Lloyds Bank and the European Investment Bank – have backed redevelopment of Dover’s Western Docks. Allianz Global Investors has agreed to provide a £55m private placement bond; RBS and Lloyds Bank will each provide a
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The first freight train travelling from China to Latvia on the first regular direct freight route between the Asian superpower and Europe arrived at its destination on 5 November and will boost China’s imports and exports to the continent. Global Construction Review revealed that the service will be run by China Railway Express, a company established specifically to operate direct freight services between the
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A song complaining about the removal of tollbooths at the Dartford Crossing last year has attracted nearly one million views. The tollbooths were taken away and replaced with an automatic vehicle registration system in 2015 in a bid to cut the congestion at the busy spot. However, the move has been a bit of a failure. Indeed, the UK’s Freight Transport Association (FTA) last
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After a successful negotiation this week the UK and China has agreed not only to allow unlimited cargo flights but also to operate more than double passenger flights between the two countries. It means that instead of 40, now up to 100 passenger flight a week each way will be allowed, with no limit on cargo flights. A restriction on the number of destinations
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According to unofficial forwarding sources, exporters and importers from China’s Pearl River Delta could face supply-chain disruptions as factories prepare for partial and complete closures in advance of September’s G20 summit in Hanghzou. Apparently related to a clean-air campaign, factories could be forced to reduce or cease production starting as early as June. With the summit not opening until September, importers sourcing from Shanghai
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Amazon has recently announced that it has signed a five to seven year lease for 20 cargo planes. As Amazon has grown, and especially it has built out its lucrative Prime business, taking control of its logistics chain has been seen as key to cost cutting and on-time delivery. Amazon’s growth has been about 30% per year while logistics costs have been going up
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The port of Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport. Last year it handled 466m tonnes of cargo, more than double the amount of Europe’s second port, Antwerp. The endless shifts in the size and composition of these flows provide an instant indicator of the state of the world economy. And the trends that are transforming the port’s operations—automation and the shift away from fossil fuels—give
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New EU Customs rules are coming into force next May. Changes are being made in order to streamline and modernise customs procedures, to realise paperless and more efficient transactions. Changes include the criteria for “authorised economic operator” (AEO), and will relate to competence and professional qualifications rather that only experience in the field. Another point is the binding tariff information (BTI), which creates legal
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With its Nuclear Agreement, Iran is about to open up for international economy. This is good news not only for the Iranians, but also for freight firms. The country offers great opportunities for businesses, especially in oil and gas, high-tech and automotive. Logistics benefits from Irans good transport infrastructure and the need to improve their airspace field. But this is not the only area
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Beijing’s rail routes will hit airlines flying cargo between China and Europe hard. “One Belt, One Road” connects China to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Europe and North Africa. Trains depart two times per week from Shenzhen, a central hub that brings Cargo from most industrial areas of China, to Hamburg with a transit of 15-16 days. Costs are up to ten times more than
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