December 2015

New trade deal gives developing countries more markets

The World Trade Organisation signed what it claimed as an “historic” agreement on trade at its Tenth Ministerial Conference in Kenya on 19 December. Central plank of the deal was a commitment to abolish export subsidies by developed countries on agricultural goods, which many argue distort international trade Developed members are required to remove their export subsidies immediately, except for a handful of agriculture products, with developing countries following by 2018. ... [+]

US-Cuba flights to restart

The US and Cuban governments have agreed to resume commercial scheduled flights between the countries. Under the deal, up to 110 round-trip flights a day would be allowed. Charter services have already resumed, while regular shipping links resumed on 20 September. [+]

(Dead) pigs do fly

Someone on the island of Puerto Rico must have got the munchies just before Christmas as Air Charter Service was called into to fly more than 17 tonnes of ham to the island. President of ACS’s North American operation, Richard Thompson said: “Between parts that are needed in an assembly line ... [+]

More mayhem in Calais

Freight Transport Association Ireland (FTAI) released photographs of a truck damaged by stone-throwing migrants in Calais. The windscreen of the Virginia International Logistics lorry was cracked in two places in the attack. FTAI general manager, Neil McDonnell, said: "We understand the terrible conditions under which migrants and asylum seekers are living in ... [+]

DFDS does daily to Italy

DFDS has increased its multimodal rail-road-sea service between the UK and Italy to daily in both directions. Units are transported by road to Immingham or Felixstowe, by sea to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge and then by rail to the Novara or Piazenca rail terminals near Milan in Italy. The service is ... [+]

New boss named for IAG Cargo

IAG has appointed current British Airways chief commercial officer Andrew Crawley, as chief executive of IAG Cargo from January 2016. He will replace Steve Gunning who is leaving IAG Cargo in January to become British Airways’ chief financial officer. Andrew Crawley will report into IAG chief executive Willie Walsh and ... [+]

IRU hails electronic TIR success

An electronic version of the TIR guarantee system between Turkey and Iran has been a success and the system is now ready for full implementation, says the International Road Transport Union (IRU). Two fully-digital eTIR pilots were successfully completed in December and the system is now ready for full implementation. The two ... [+]

FPS to drop one member per country rule

Global forwarding network FPS Group is to change its constitution to allow multiple membership in each territory, following a decision at its AGM and Conference in Jakarta. Advisory board chairman Sam Aparo, co-owner of one of the network’s founding members, told delegates that the original FPS Group policy of one ... [+]

Europa works through the pain

Europa Worldwide Group says that has completed a complex, two-year restructuring following managing director Andrew Baxter, acquisition of a 90% stake in the business in August 2013. It says that while there have been some operational problems and significant reorganisation costs, the benefits are now being felt internally and by ... [+]

Airfreight cartel fine overturned

General Court of the European Union has upheld a challenge by a group of airlines to a €790 million-(£582 million) fine imposed in 2010 for air cargo price-fixing between 1999 and 2006. The carriers involved in the case were Air France-KLM-Martinair – fined a total of over €310m - Air Canada, ... [+]

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