News & Insights

The essential ingredient for many industries, chemicals are part of nearly every product used in the home and office. There is no room for error in logistics for the chemical and petro-chemical sector, which is a key vertical for Metro, in the care of Steve Smith. Joining Metro in 2003, Steve ... Read more

Driven by demand surges and equipment shortages contributing to capacity constraints, container freight rates are rising to 2020 highs as carriers on the eastbound trans-Pacific implement the fourth GRI since the 1st June. Anticipating a continuation of weak demand, carriers blanked 63 sailing... Read more

The end of the Transition Period with the European Union on 31st December 2020 provides the UK with the opportunity to design a future border that will deliver maximum benefit to the UK and new border processes that will need to be understood, if supply chains are to continue to run. On the 22... Read more

Operation Brock is set to return, as part of plans to cope with potential queues at Channel Ports, as the government questions hauliers’ readiness for Brexit Operation Brock is the planned traffic management system in Kent for use in the event of a no-deal Brexit. It supersedes Operation Sta... Read more

Environmental strategies and carbon emission reduction activities have been core elements in multi-national trading reports for some years and more shippers are beginning to realise that they can adapt their supply chain to be environmentally friendly and save money in the process. Cutting emi... Read more

We are receiving news that container shipping lines have begun diverting from the Port of Montreal as a series of strikes disrupt container handling for another week at Canada’s second-largest port.  Hapag-Lloyd has confirmed that the Detroit Express will call at the Port of Saint John ... Read more

When we saw supply chain challenges begin to rise in China, due to Coronavirus containment measures, there was no indication of the massive scale of Global disruption that would unfold in the coming months and how our customers in the medical sector have coped. The initial supply interruptions... Read more

Westbound Ocean Freight Capacity tightens as carriers turn screws and demand advanced bookings The unexpected surge in East and Westbound demand in June, exacerbated by carriers withdrawing close to half the market’s capacity in May, to match expected low demand saw China to North Europ... Read more

On the 1st January 2021 you will potentially be liable for customs duty and import VAT when you import goods from the EU and you’ll need to submit safety and security declarations for all exports to the EU. Metro has produced a Brexit health-check questionnaire to help traders... Read more

During the lockdown the Metro team had to adapt quickly to new ways of working and engaging with customers. Technology was the critical success factor. IT Manager Aston Thames’ professional career began in accounting, but his passion for computing and information technology ultimately prevai... Read more

“Trade isn't about goods. Trade is about information. Goods sit in the warehouse until data moves them.” On January 1st 2021 the United Kingdom begins a new trading relationship with the European Union and your data is needed now to keep your goods moving.  While lots of uncertainty a... Read more

Falling rates makes sea/air a very attractive commercial option, at 50% of the cost of pure air freight, from the main manufacturing areas within the Indian Subcontinent and Far East/China. Over the last few weeks Far East air freight rates have continued to harden, as capacity has reduced fro... Read more