International Trade

Shipping lines get creative with charges

With sea freight rates so low, below cost on many important trade lanes the container shipping lines are looking to surcharges and all manner of ancillary charges to boost their cash flows. Macro-economics continue to work against the shipping lines, with global demand suppressed and costs rising leaving them struggling to impose general rate increases,

Reviewing the India opportunity

As a UK-India Free Trade Agreement draws closer new research confirms India’s strategic importance, with 73% of UK business leaders identifying the country as a target growth market and Metro’s senior executives are preparing local infrastructure to support any acceleration in bilateral trade. The UK and India recently concluded the 13th round of negotiations and

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, with many international aviation authorities avoiding the region’s airspace, and no bookings

EC to end container shipping alliances

On the 9th August 2022, the European Commission (EC) issued a call for feedback on the Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) and on Tuesday announced that it will not renew the sector’s exemption to operating shipping alliances when current legislation expires on 25th  April. The Consortia Block Exemption Regulation (CBER) was introduced in 2009, after

Businesses face 24 legislative and policy supply chain changes

The Institute of Export & International Trade has issued a report highlighting the volume of regulatory change facing UK traders over the next 18 months and called for support for businesses through this turbulent period. The report – The Border Target Operating Model and Beyond: Navigating changes to trade rules in the UK – details

UK business welcomes steel action

Anti-dumping and countervailing measures on imports of Hot Rolled Flat and Coil steel will be kept until 2027, to protect the UK’s steel industry from the damage caused by low-priced steel and competitive products that have benefited from government subsidies in their country of origin. The Trade Remedies Authority has recommended keeping measures in place

BRICS; irrelevant or irresistible

The fifteenth annual BRICS summit, attended by Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, took place in Johannesburg last week, with members committing to expansion, in a significant development, that will have a major impact on the global economy. The addition of six new members, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the UAE,

Take your customs declarations to a whole new level

Metro provide customs clearance services at all UK airports and ports of arrival and departure, including inland border points, with import and export entry processes completed within two hours. Simply provide us with your commercial invoice, packing list and any other supporting documents and we will file your customs declarations directly with customs, using our