EU | UK news digest. 31 July
It is high time to plant the seeds for the future – the shipping industry will require a new generation of employees, the lack of active support of the green agenda will only postpone carbon-free reality, sluggish policies will lead to more losses... Speed up, get a hold!
The big shift that is happening worldwide will surely require an additional workforce in the future and the recent data is only proving this premise. It has been estimated that by 2026 shipping industry risks undergoing a serious officer shortage if it does not start actively promoting careers at sea and focus on training professionals with diverse skills needed for a greener and more digitally connected industry. The improvements are possible, especially since in recent years the maritime industry has made progress in reducing officer turnover rates from 8% to 6%. The challenges are here to stay, so potential solutions should not be underestimated, given that shipping is becoming more complicated. In the current context, shippers in North Europe are paying significantly more to carriers to secure shipment. Meanwhile, English companies report their short-term contracts have been canceled by their carriers and that they had been forced onto their FAK rate and premium charges.
The UK is doing whatever it takes to adjust to post-Brexit reality and is using every opportunity that could potentially strengthen its positions. DB Cargo UK is planning to invest in new facilities at its depot in Toton to facilitate the export and import of a new generation of Toyota cars. They hope that the future development of the automotive industry will boost trade into and out of the UK and help keep the sector competitive. The same DB Cargo is on the roll of successful initiatives that have gained support from the government – the company is currently working on the project dedicated to hydro-treated vegetable oil fuel as a commercially viable and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel fuel. UK rail minister has had the first-hand experience of evaluating the progress during his recent visit to the Toton Depot and has expressed high hopes for future advances regarding sustainability and efficiency.
However, not everything is running smoothly for the British rail. Recently the upper house of the UK parliament has criticized the government for lack of progress towards an all-electric railway. According to the presented report, the goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 is currently out of reach. To facilitate the faster transition, experts believe there should be more active support for the development of battery and fuel cell trains and overall better strategic planning.
Initially, Brexit was worthy of all the fuss for the sake of protectionism but since the country’s highly interconnected supply chains are now under extreme stress and there is an incredible shortage of drivers, Logistics UK is calling the government to review its decision not to grant temporary work visas to EU HGV drivers. They claim that workers have to be allowed back to support the domestic workforce, at least as a short-term solution to the labor crisis.
Port congestion has forced industry players to consider road as an alternative for transportation. City Zone Express has had enough of the delays and launched a road freight service between Malaysia and Europe. One of their clients is transporting lithium batteries, and the company sees it as a potential for land transport, and not just as an interim solution, given the cost and time advantages.
The collapse of a ship to shore crane within the Vuosaari harbor in Finland is definitely a proof that the pressure is literally enormous and not only in the metaphorical sense. The operator of the crane suffered a hand wound and the area itself is currently isolated.
The study on the commercial-scale import of hydrogen from overseas has gained a new supporter – the Port Rotterdam Authority and its partners. Together with Koole Terminals, Chiyoda Corporation, and Mitsubishi Corporation they will conduct research on the feasibility of this initiative. SPERA Hydrogen is expected to play an important role in the realization of commercial-scale hydrogen supply chains globally and contribute to global carbon neutrality in 2050.
The new diesel-electric straddle carriers from Medcenter Container Terminal have been delivered to Kalmar, which commemorates further strengthening of the partnership between the two parties and Kalmar’s plans to renew the equipment for more efficiency.
