Category: Air

Supply chain; a year in review

2023 was supposed to be the year that global supply chains bounced back from pandemic lockdowns and factory shutdowns, trade wars, tariffs and war in Europe, but now container shipping is disrupted by attacks in the Red Sea and restrictions on the Panama Canal. The COVID pandemic and its after... Read more

Supporting sustainable fuel for air and sea freight

As we move into our second year of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) investment, with Air France, KLM, Martinair, it is great to see the successful transatlantic flight, greater SAF availability and increasing options for green sea freight transport. The first transatlantic flight by a large pas... Read more

Nature and demand pushing up airfreight rates

Airfreight spot rates continued to rise last week as weather conditions, volcanic activity and wars put capacity under pressure, with fears of a major eruption in Iceland growing - possibly within days. With the airfreight sector preparing to benefit from a potential reduction in ocean shippin... Read more

Government committed to SAF

As part of the UK’s net zero commitment the government is supporting a variety of technology, fuel and market-based measures to address aviation emissions, with particular commitment to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The government recognise sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as crucial to ef... Read more

Market upturn for air freight

Air freight spot rates have risen steadily since August on major Asia outbound lanes and while there is no significant peak season the market is definitely tighter, with global rates and tonnages stabilising after China’s Golden Week. There is a perceptible uptick in air cargo rates, which i... Read more

Positive developments at our Birmingham hub airport

Metro have worked in a strategic partnership with Birmingham Airport for almost 10 years and its importance as an air cargo hub and global gateway for the Midlands, has been further underlined by critical ground-handling investments and pending China freighter services. Metro’s partnership w... Read more

Air cargo delays and ocean carriers announce Israel war risk surcharge

While sea freight traffic is largely operating without significant issues, the conflict in Israel is impacting airfreight to the country and the surrounding region, with many carriers’ services subject to cancellation and delay. Many airlines have suspended direct flights to and from Israel,... Read more

Air freight may have turned a corner

Airfreight rates, as measured on the Baltic Air Freight Indices*, ticked up through September on major Asia-outbound lanes, giving credence to the possibility of a peak season in 2023, with rates ex Hong Kong up 7% and ex Shanghai a whopping 34%. According to the most recent reading of the BAI... Read more

Air freight demand recovery still a way off

Weak summer demand saw air freight chargeable weight move down 1% and while the fall was minor, it is the fourth consecutive month of falls, which suggests that we may require another few quarters before we see more demand pick up on a global level. According to the latest market analysis from... Read more

Air freight’s troubles continue

July saw global air cargo demand fall by 3.4% and capacity grow +7% compared to a year ago, as airlines’ summer schedules stepped up to meet the holiday season’s heightened passenger traffic.  Last month’s global average dynamic load factor, which measures the volume and weight pers... Read more

More carriers select our Birmingham hub airport

We are pleased to see key carrier partners, Emirates, Qatar and Saudia commit more flights, with air freight capability, directly to our Birmingham Airport hub, from key Middle East and Asia origins. Birmingham International Airport (BHX), has underlined again its critical importance as our ai... Read more

The shipper’s new normal

The rapidity of the collapse in air and sea freight rates has given carriers the same level of trauma and shock experienced by shippers when freight rates exploded in  2021 and while the turnabout in the market was anticipated, its intensity and extent is far greater than expected, with ship... Read more