Antwerp Port Breaking News! Containers on Fire! Italian Ports on Strike, Beware! 丨 Foreign Trade News Express
An emergency occurred at the port of Antwerp! A container caught fire!
A container fire broke out at the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, in the evening of June 23, local time, and operations at part of the container terminal were suspended as emergency services worked to eliminate the danger. As a precautionary measure, operations were stopped for 12 hours and the vessel was evacuated.
Currently, the terminal has resumed operations.
Confirmed to contain yellow phosphorus WARNING
Firefighters were called to reports of a container fire at 7.30pm on Sunday, including at Deurganckdok Terminal, one of the port's main container loading and unloading areas.
The burning containers were determined to contain yellow phosphorus, a chemical commonly used in fertilizers and other industrial applications that is extremely toxic. It is flammable when exposed to air, can cause burns when inhaled, and can be fatal to humans in small amounts.
As a precautionary measure, both the MSC PSA European Terminal (MPET) terminal and the DP World facility were evacuated. A ship anchored at the port was also evacuated and all ship traffic at Deurganckdok was temporarily stopped.
The fire department reported that it was working with the chemical company BASF and the port. After about an hour, they cut short the time but continued to work on protecting the containers. As a result, operations at MPET and Deurganckdok remain suspended.
As of 7:30 a.m. Monday, the fire department reported that the container had been moved to a "safe location."
The port also said that shipping at Deurganckdok could resume, adding that they were doing everything possible to restart all activities as quickly as possible.
This is the second incident this month to disrupt operations at the Port of Antwerp's container terminal.
Fuel leak accident WARNING
Port officials detected an oil leak in the water on June 6, temporarily closing part of the port and disrupting ship traffic. They determined the oil came from bunkering operations at the container terminal.
A survey showed that 20 vessels, including seagoing vessels and barges, were contaminated at Deurganckdock. Oil was also found in the waterway and on the walls of the quay.
The contaminated ships were banned from leaving the port until it was cleaned up and the waterway cleared. One of the port's locks was also suspended.
Some vessels were able to clean up quickly and continue working, but operations continued to be affected until 18 June when the Port of Antwerp reported that the cleanup operation had been completed.
Recently, several shipping companies, including Wan Hai Lines, OOCL, and Asia Sea Lines, have issued announcements, reiterating that they will impose heavy penalties on those who conceal dangerous goods. Among them, Wan Hai has the highest penalty. If dangerous goods are concealed, missed, or inconsistent with the actual goods, once discovered, Party A must pay a penalty of USD100,000/UNIT.
We would like to remind you not to conceal the reporting of dangerous goods and make sure to declare them truthfully. Concealing the report may lead to serious accidents. We would also like to remind freight forwarders and cargo owners who have traded with this port recently to pay attention to the delays and impacts on cargo transportation caused by this incident.
Shipping company: High freight rates are expected to remain until the end of the year!
Yang Ming Marine Transport held its latest legal briefing on June 24 and further analyzed the prospects of the container shipping market.
Yang Ming Marine Transport General Manager Du Shuqin said that he has been frequently asked whether freight rates will continue to rise and whether the peak season will end early because shippers ship goods in advance.
He personally believes that freight rates will not drop suddenly and rapidly, and high freight rates are expected to be maintained until the end of this year.
Senior executives of European shipping companies believe that although freight rates may still rise, their confidence in future increases is not as strong as in the past.July will be a critical time to observe market trends.
As for how long the Red Sea crisis will last, Du Shuqin believes it is still difficult to judge, but he has previously stated that even if the Red Sea crisis eases, most ships will not immediately resume passage in the Red Sea, and will only resume operations after it is confirmed to be safe.
At the shareholders' meeting held in late May, Du Shuqin mentioned that the shortage of cabins and containers will intensify in the third quarter, and the terminals may also become more congested.
There are both favorable and unfavorable factors in the container shipping market, but we are optimistic about the overall market outlook.
According to the forecasts of the three major research institutions in the industry - Drewry, Alphaliner and Clarksons, the increase in container ship capacity supply will be much higher than the increase in transportation demand from 2024 to 2025.
In the first half of this year, the delivery volume of new ships has reached 1.487 million TEUs, and the annual new capacity is expected to reach 3.05 million to 3.10 million TEUs.
Yang Ming Marine Transport analyzed that as the Red Sea crisis forced some ships to detour, a considerable amount of shipping capacity was absorbed, the gap between supply and demand narrowed, and the market changed from oversupply to shortage, supporting the increase in freight rates.
Regarding future market supply and demand, Yang Ming Marine Transport believes thatIn the early third quarter of this year, transportation demand will increase year-on-year, but global geopolitical and regional conflicts still exist, and how long the peak season can last needs to be observed month by month.
As for the controversial blank flights in the market, Yang Ming Marine Transport said that this was a decision the shipping company had to make after comprehensive consideration of all parties.
The company explained that due to the Red Sea crisis, ships were forced to divert, and one European route alone required 2 to 4 additional ships to maintain operations. At the same time, congestion at major transshipment ports in Southeast Asia also caused capacity constraints, and empty shifts would occur if there were no ships to fill the gaps.
According to Alphaliner's statistics, as of June 25, Yang Ming Marine Transport's total capacity was 93 ships with a capacity of 695,000 TEUs, and its ordered capacity was 5 ships with a capacity of 77,500 TEUs.
It is expected that before the end of this year, Yang Ming Marine Transport will add Bangkok Maxi vessels, further expanding its fleet size.
In addition, shipping industry experts pointed out that the SCFI index has risen for 11 consecutive times.Freight rates on the four major routes and Southeast Asian routes are on an upward trend, and prices are close to the highs during the epidemic.
It is normal for the increase to decrease or for the price to fall, but attention should be paid to whether the decline will increase. At present, the market generally expects that as long as the Red Sea crisis continues, freight rates may be corrected, but the room for a sharp drop is relatively limited.
The RMB exchange rate against the US dollar hit a new low this year
Recently, the RMB exchange rate against the US dollar has continued to fall. Wind data shows that on June 26, the onshore RMB exchange rate against the US dollar fell to 7.267, a new low this year; the offshore RMB exchange rate against the US dollar, which more reflects the expectations of international investors, even broke through the important mark of 7.3, also a new low this year.Looking at June, as of 16:00 on June 26, the onshore RMB exchange rate against the US dollar fell by 0.31%, and the offshore RMB exchange rate against the US dollar fell by 0.44%.
On June 26, the China Banking Research Institute released the "2024 Third Quarter Economic and Financial Outlook Report".The RMB exchange rate has been stable among Asian currencies in the first half of this year. As some developed economies start to cut interest rates, the RMB is expected to appreciate in the second half of the year.
Italian ports on strike! Shipments please beware!
According to foreign media reports,Italian union port workers plan to strike from July 2 to 5, with protests across Italy from July 1 to 7.Port services and shipping may be interrupted. Shippers and freight forwarders shipping to Italy in the near future should pay attention to the impact of logistics delays.
Italy's transport unions and employers have failed to reach an agreement despite six months of contract talks. The two sides remain at odds over negotiating terms. Union leaders have called for strike action over work contract negotiations for their members, including wage increases.
The Uiltrasporti union will strike on July 2-3, while the FILT CGIL and FIT CISL unions will strike on July 4-5.These various periods of strike action are likely to have a cumulative impact on port operations, with strikes expected to affect all ports in the country.
"After more than six months of negotiations, we are still far from having concrete answers to the fundamental demands of Italian dockworkers," Uiltrasporti said in a statement. The union is demanding a new collective labor agreement that includes an economic boost to restore workers' lost purchasing power.
The union hopes that the employers' association will present improved proposals before the strike date in order to resume negotiations.
Kuehne+Nagel issued a warning on its official website: Italian transport workers will strike in the first week of July
Demonstrations are possible at ports across the country and in any event that protests develop, security measures may be stepped up and localized traffic disruptions may occur. The possibility of clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement officers during demonstrations cannot be ruled out.Port services and maritime transport may be disrupted during the affected period, which could last until July 6.
Here is a reminder for cargo owners and freight forwarders who have recently shipped to this country to pay close attention to the delays and impacts of the strike on cargo transportation to avoid unnecessary losses! Forward to everyone~
According to a report on the Russian newspaper Izvestia website on June 25, China Auto News Network quoted data from the Passenger Car Market Information Joint Committee on June 23, saying that from January to May 2024, China exported 2.45 million vehicles, and Russia became the country importing the most vehicles from China.
The report said that in the first five months of this year, China delivered 372,500 vehicles to Russia, almost twice the number of vehicles exported by China to Mexico, which ranked second with 190,600 vehicles, followed by Brazil (159,600 vehicles), Belgium (124,000 vehicles) and the UAE (114,500 vehicles).In terms of China's new energy vehicle exports, Brazil, Belgium and the United Kingdom rank in the top three.
Two MSC container ships attacked again
On the evening of June 26 local time, Yahya Saraiya, spokesman for the Yemeni Houthi armed forces, said in a speech that the Houthi armed forces and the Iraqi militia "Islamic Resistance Organization" took joint action and attacked an Israeli ship "MSC Manzanillo" in the Haifa Port through a drone.
In addition, on the evening of June 26 local time, the Yemeni Houthi armed forcesThe Houthis released a video of the previous attack on the Israeli ship "MSC SARAH V" and said that the attack was carried out using a new hypersonic missile "Hatim-2" made independently. This is the first time that the Houthis have officially announced that they own and use hypersonic missiles.
Yahya Saraiya said the attack used a new type of ballistic missile that had just passed testing and had a longer range and higher accuracy.The Houthis will continue to carry out relevant joint military operations in support of the Palestinian people until the aggression against Palestine stops., the blockade against the Palestinian people will be lifted, otherwise the Houthi armed forces will not stop the relevant military operations.
Separately, the UK's Maritime Trade Operations Office reported earlier that a missile exploded near a merchant ship south of the Yemeni port city of Aden. Reports indicated no crew members were injured and the ship continued to sail.
After the outbreak of a new round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October last year, the Houthi armed forces in Yemen used drones and missiles to attack targets in the Red Sea waters many times. In early May, the Houthi armed forces in Yemen said they would expand the scope of their attacks.Strike all ships of companies that have done business with Israel in the past few months in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, regardless of their nationality and the destination ports.
Russia becomes China's largest auto export market
According to a report on the Russian newspaper Izvestia website on June 25, China Auto News Network quoted data from the Passenger Car Market Information Joint Committee on June 23, saying that from January to May 2024, China exported 2.45 million vehicles, and Russia became the country importing the most vehicles from China.
The report said that in the first five months of this year, China delivered 372,500 vehicles to Russia, almost twice the number of vehicles exported by China to Mexico, which ranked second with 190,600 vehicles, followed by Brazil (159,600 vehicles), Belgium (124,000 vehicles) and the UAE (114,500 vehicles).In terms of China's new energy vehicle exports, Brazil, Belgium and the United Kingdom rank in the top three.
Canada plans to follow suit and impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles
On June 25th local time, the Canadian Ministry of Finance issued a statement saying that Canada will launch a 30-day consultation on July 2, 2024 to discuss possible policy responses to protect Canada's auto workers and the growing electric vehicle industry from unfair trade practices.
The statement said the consultations will seek opinions on potential policy responses, including the imposition of additional taxes under Section 53 of Canada's Tariff Act, as well as other possible measures such as adjustments to Canada's federal zero-emission vehicle incentive program (iZEV) and investment restrictions. The statement also detailed the recent tariffs imposed by the United States and the European Union on Chinese electric vehicles.
U.S. wooden furniture and lumber imports require full declaration
Recently, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the official implementation of the seventh phase of the Lacey Act, which marks a further increase in the United States' efforts to protect wildlife, fish and plants.
It is reported that this update will expand the coverage to a wider range of plant products, including wooden furniture and wood.Requires all imported products to be declared unless they are made entirely of composite materials.The declaration content includes the scientific name of the plant, import value, quantity and the name of the plant in the country of harvesting.
According to the Federal Register notice published by APHIS, most of HTS Chapter 4412 has been implemented, with only two specific exemptions (44129906 and 441229957).
UK to remove anti-dumping duties on Chinese electric bicycles
The UK Trade Remedies Agency (TRA) has recommended the removal of anti-dumping duties on Chinese electric bicycles, arguing that this is not in the UK's economic interests. The current tariffs range from 18.8% to 79.3%, and are measures inherited from the EU after Brexit. After investigation, TRA believes thatRemoving these tariffs will save the UK economy around £51 million per year, while the average price of each e-bike is expected to be reduced by £260 and sales are expected to increase by 31,000 e-bikes per year.
Although there is a risk that Chinese electric bicycles may be dumped again and cause damage to the UK production industry, TRA believes that the benefits of removing tariffs far outweigh their disadvantages. Currently, the relevant plan is in the consultation stage and the final recommendation will be submitted to the UK Minister of Commerce and Trade. At the same time, the EU is also reviewing the anti-dumping duties on Chinese-made electric bicycles, and the results are expected to be announced within 15 months.
India amends import rules for electronics and IT products
Recently, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) of India issued Notification No. 13/2024-25, which revised the provisions on the import of electronic and IT products in the Foreign Trade Policy 2023 and the ITC HS 2022 Schedule 1 Import Policy.It is emphasized that whether the imported electronic and IT products are new or second-hand, they must be registered with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and comply with BIS labeling requirements before importation.The version of the BIS compulsory registration scheme based on it has been updated from the 2012 version to the 2021 version.
China and Poland release action plan for comprehensive strategic partnership
The People's Republic of China and the Republic of Poland have issued an action plan on strengthening their comprehensive strategic partnership (2024-2027). The document states that the two sides will strengthen cooperation between trade and investment promotion agencies such as the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Polish Investment and Trade Agency. At the same time, they will also carry out two-way investment cooperation in the fields of electric vehicles, green development, logistics, etc., and provide an equal and fair competition environment.
In addition, in order to further promote personnel exchanges between China and foreign countries, China has decided to further expand the scope of visa-free countries and implement a trial visa-free policy for people holding ordinary passports from New Zealand, Australia and Poland. From July 1, 2024 to December 31, 2025, people holding ordinary passports from the above countries who come to China for business, tourism, visiting relatives and friends, and transit for no more than 15 days can enter without a visa.
South Korea strengthens customs inspections on imported summer food
On June 3, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued instructions on import customs clearance inspections for summer ingredients to strengthen the safety management of agricultural, livestock, and aquatic products that serve as ingredients for the dog days of summer. The inspection period is from June 10 to August 16.
Tariff risks drive international traders to scramble for shipping capacity
The international shipping market suddenly saw a surge in freight rates in June, which was supposed to be quiet. According to the FBX, a spot price index for containers on major shipping routes compiled by the shipping platform Freightos,International shipping freight rates have risen from about US$1,200 per trip in 2023 to nearly US$4,500 at present, which is nearly 30% higher than the peak of US$3,400 in January caused by the artillery fire in the Red Sea.
The industry believes that the factors driving the abnormal increase in ocean freight rates are very complex. First, the global manufacturing industry is recovering, especially in Germany, where the S&P Purchasing Managers Index in May grew at the fastest rate in 22 months. In addition, strikes occurred in major German ports, which made many exporters eager to find sufficient shipping capacity. On the other hand, the rise of protectionism has also caused many exporters to speed up the delivery of goods to avoid being affected by subsequent tariffs and other policies.
Source: Foreign Shipping, Focus Vision, Today's Shipping, etc.
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