March 2021

Driver shortage still serious, says IRU

There is still an alarming shortage of drivers worldwide, despite reduced demand due to Covid-19, says the International Road Transport Union in its latest survey. Surveying 800 road transport companies from over 20 countries, IRU found that the shortage was most acute in Eurasia, where last year 20% of driver positions were not filled. China was the least affected country in 2020 with only 4% of jobs open. Elsewhere, driver ... [+]

Maritime Transport says thank-you to NHS workers – 25 times

Intermodal transport operator Maritime Transport has unveiled 25 newly-liveried tractor units in recognition of the incredible work carried out by the NHS, and the valuable contribution key workers across many sectors have made during the pandemic. A wave-shaped rainbow replaces the normal blue Maritime wave on the newly-acquired Scanias and ... [+]

No holding back ABP’s Tractor Boys

ABP’s Port of Ipswich, owned by Associated British Ports (ABP) has handled 2 million tonnes of cargo since the beginning of the first lockdown in 2020. The port broke the 2m tonne-mark when around 9,000 tonnes of aggregate w arrived on board of the hopper dredger Charlemagne, which self-discharged at ... [+]

First Choice Staff gains wings with new recruit

Freight and logistics recruitment specialists First Choice Staff is expanding its offering to airport services, cargo and ground handling companies following the appointment of Colin Blusch as aviation business development manager. Blusch (pictured left, with First Choice director Chas Dowton) previously held senior management roles with Plane Handling/dnata and Worldwide ... [+]

Hands up who wants to see more women in airfreight

Swiss-based Aviation and logistics consultants Change Horizon and UK freight industry public relations company Meantime Communications have joined forces to promote gender equality in airfreight. They are calling on businesses, trade associations and individual professionals to sign the Women in Aviation and Logistics Pledge to promote gender equality in the airfreight ... [+]

Freeport status puts Middlesbrough and Hartlepool on the map, says port users’ chief

Port users’ association chair, Gary Dawson, has welcomed the granting of freeport status to Tees and Hartlepool. Dawson, who is managing director of logistics operator Tees and Hartlepool (now being rebranded Port of Middlesbrough) said: “This is a defining moment for Teesside, the government has unlocked a major opportunity and ... [+]

No fare increases on this train service

Rail fares in the UK may be about to go up again, but a softening of the market following Chinese New Year has enabled Davies Turner to reduce rates for  its Express China rail freight service, the only direct weekly fixed-day intermodal service to the UK.Also, with new rail services ... [+]

Stena aims to close the gender gap at sea

Stena Line says it has increased the number of female managers it employs by 42% in only five years and has set itself the target of ensuring they account for 30% of all management by the end of next year. In an industry where only 2% of the 1.2 million seafarers ... [+]

CLdN adds sailings

CLdN to increase its new Zeebrugge/Dublin ro ro service to three sailings per week to cope with rising demand and is also adding a new Friday sailing to the Zeebrugge/Killingholme route, bringing the total to seven sailings per week. It will also introduce an extra weekend sailing on Sunday on ... [+]

New director to spearhead South Yorks scheme

Peel Group’s regeneration arm Peel L&P has appointed Neal Biddle as development director to take forward its GatewayEast development near Doncaster Sheffield Airport. GatewayEast offers 11 million sq. ft of residential and commercial space in distinct zones including cargo, logistics, and advanced manufacturing, along with retail, leisure and residential properties. Picture: ... [+]

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