Archives: January 2010 cargo news
The News stories below are cargo / freight related stories which made the headlines in January 2010 (other archived months are shown at the bottom of the page).
For all the latest Cargo News, click on the link on the left-hand side menu. ukimports.org
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27/01/10 - Application to sell port of Dover
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The Board for the Port of Dover has revealed that it has applied to the government to sell the port and is awaiting approval.
The board said it had made the application to enable further developments to be made in the future.
The Port of Dover has been a trust port for 400 years, with all revenues going back into it.
Labour's MP for Dover Gwyn Prosser said: "We're afraid of losing control of a strategic asset."
Dover has applied to the secretary of state for transport for the authority to introduce private capital.
In a statement, the board said: "Dover Harbour Board has made a formal application to restructure the organisation. ukimports.org
27/01/10 - Application to sell port of Dover
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The Board for the Port of Dover has revealed that it has applied to the government to sell the port and is awaiting approval.
The board said it had made the application to enable further developments to be made in the future.
The Port of Dover has been a trust port for 400 years, with all revenues going back into it.
Labour's MP for Dover Gwyn Prosser said: "We're afraid of losing control of a strategic asset."
Dover has applied to the secretary of state for transport for the authority to introduce private capital.
In a statement, the board said: "Dover Harbour Board has made a formal application to restructure the organisation. ukimports.org
27/01/10 - Smuggled Chinese food seized in Middlesbrough
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Hundreds of boxes of food from China that were set to be smuggled into the north-east of England have been seized by officers from the UK Border Agency.
The food, weighing about one tonne, was discovered during routine checks of a cargo of legitimate goods brought into Teesport in Middlesbrough from Ningbo.
More than 200 boxes containing fin flavour noodles, granulated chicken and milk tea, were bound for Gateshead.
An agency spokesman said the produce would now be destroyed.
The food was hidden among cooking wine and plastic cups on a container vessel. ukimports.org
27/01/10 - UK economy emerges from recession
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The UK economy has come out of recession, after figures showed it had grown by a weaker-than-expected 0.1% in the last three months of 2009.
The economy had previously contracted for six consecutive quarters - the longest period since quarterly figures were first recorded in 1955.
There have been recent recovery signs - last week, UK unemployment fell for the first time in 18 months.
The UK's had been the last major economy still in recession. ukimports.org
26/01/10 - Cigarettes are found in furniture at Tilbury Docks
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A hoard of 40,000 illegal cigarettes has been found in a cargo of furniture being imported through a port in Essex.
UK Border Agency officers at Tilbury found the cigarettes inside a settee and two armchairs brought by container from the United Arab Emirates.
The smugglers had crammed the packages into the bases of the pieces of furniture.
The hoard would have attracted £9,000 duty if imported legally, a UK Border Agency spokesman said. ukimports.org
26/01/10 - Firm fined after worker crushed to death at Heathrow
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A company has been fined £90,000 at the Old Bailey for the death of an engineer who was crushed to death by an electric vehicle at Heathrow Airport.
Maintenance engineer Mohammed Taj, 52, died when a "tug" used for pulling baggage and supplies fell on his head during an inspection in March 2008.
Mr Taj was checking the brakes on the vehicle but had no other support under the tug when it toppled over on him.
Newcastle company Aviance UK admitted breaking health and safety legislation. ukimports.org
26/01/10 - Passengers evacuated from plane at Manchester Airport
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Thirty passengers were evacuated on to a runway at Manchester Airport, after a plane had to make an emergency landing.
Passengers on a Flybe flight from Birmingham to Aberdeen reported smelling smoke, prompting the pilot to land at Manchester at 0805 GMT. ukimports.org
25/01/10 - Residents of Sipson, near Heathrow, divided over sale
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A quarter of residents of a village, which will be wiped out if Heathrow's third runway goes ahead, have tried to sell their homes to BAA.
Proposals for the runway have made it difficult for residents of Sipson village to sell their properties.
Heathrow operator BAA has offered to buy 400 homes in the village.
Almost 100 owners have applied for their properties to be purchased and BAA has made offers on 45, since it launched a scheme in October 2009. ukimports.org
25/01/10 - Council showing HGVs where to go
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Lorry drivers will be able to find their way across Surrey using only major routes thanks to a new scheme.
A network of preferred routes, with the aim of reducing the number of heavy goods vehicles on country lanes, is being developed on the council website.
Surrey County Council said it would include maps for each of the county's 11 boroughs and districts.
They will include roads suitable for through and local freight traffic, and weight, width and height restrictions.
The first map, aimed at through traffic with journeys starting and ending outside Surrey, is already on the council website and has been given to the freight industry and to satellite navigation companies. ukimports.org
25/01/10 - BA cabin crew to vote on strike over jobs and pay
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Cabin crew at British Airways are to begin voting on whether to strike, in a long-running dispute with management.
Staff were due to walk out over Christmas until a court ruled the action illegal because of the way it was balloted.
The new ballot closes on 22 February, which means action could be taken as soon as 1 March, although the union has said it will not strike over Easter.
The Unite union is angry at BA's plans to cut jobs and pay. ukimports.org
23/01/10 - Manchester Airport terminal closes after powder found
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Part of a terminal at Manchester Airport closed and a chemical alert was declared after security staff found white powder in a piece of luggage.
The departure area of Terminal 3 was closed after a man tried to carry the unidentified powder on to an aircraft.
The man was planning to fly from Manchester to London.
The man has not been arrested, but is helping with inquiries, said police. A police source said the incident was not believed to be terror-related.
Tests are being conducted on the powder.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Shortly before 1255 GMT police at Manchester Airport were called by security staff from the check-in desk at Terminal 3, who had discovered a non-identified white powder in a bag which a man was attempting to carry on to a plane. ukimports.org
22/01/10 - Thames island airport not among Conservative policies
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Conservative leader David Cameron has said building an airport in the Thames Estuary is not among his party's plans.
Mr Cameron said if elected to government in this year's general election it would not be the policy to construct the four-runway airport. ukimports.org
22/01/10 - New Border Agency chief's pledge
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)SUFFOLK: The region's new border chief was in Felixstowe this week to see how his officers were protecting the port from illegal immigrants, drugs and dodgy goods.
Marc Owens is the new man in charge of border control across the central England region, which stretches from the Suffolk coast all the way across to Holyhead in Wales.
Mr Owens was previously the head of strategy for the UK Border Agency.
He oversaw an operational shake-up that has seen officers take on multiple roles in the fight against smuggling and people trafficking and he is now responsible for the ports of Harwich and Felixstowe, along with many other ports and airports. ukimports.org
22/01/10 - Cannabis found on banana lorry at Harwich
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Cannabis with an estimated street value of £400,000 has been found in a lorry load of bananas at an Essex port.
UK Border Agency officers at Harwich found the drugs on the lorry which arrived from Rotterdam on Thursday.
The smugglers had hollowed out the fifth wheel, which joins the lorry with a trailer, to hide two 10ft (3m) tubes full of drugs, a spokesman said.
The vehicle which was carrying 23 tonnes of bananas in its trailer, was scanned during routine examinations.
The lorry driver was being questioned by police.
Investigators do not believe the importer was involved in the crime and it is likely the bananas will reach their intended destination. ukimports.org
21/01/10 - Anti-pirate water cannon unveiled by Hampshire firm
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A Hampshire company has invented a device which it claims will help prevent pirates boarding ships at sea.
A number of rotating cannons, which connect to the fire hose present on all merchant ships, fire out high-pressure water down the sides of the vessel.
Chandler's Ford-based Dasic Marine says anyone climbing up a ship would be thrown off by the force of the water.
The device has been made in response to a growing number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia. ukimports.org
20/01/10 - Heseltine backs Heathrow expansion report
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Conservative leader David Cameron's decision to oppose the expansion of Heathrow airport has been questioned in a report backed by Lord Heseltine.
Mr Cameron wants to cancel Heathrow's third runway and spend the money instead on high-speed rail.
But a report by Tory think tank the Bow Group says rail versus air is a "false debate" and there was a need for extra capacity at Heathrow.
Lord Heseltine, a key adviser to Mr Cameron, writes the report's foreword. ukimports.org
20/01/10 - British Airways union says no strikes at Easter
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The threat of strikes at British Airways over the Easter holidays appears to have been lifted.
The Unite union announced a new strike ballot earlier this week, which raised fears of disruption during Easter.
Unite's Len McCluskey said no action would occur over Easter as he wanted "families to be able to plan their travel arrangements in confidence".
But BA said the union statement would be "of little comfort" to travellers as strikes could still start from March 1. ukimports.org
19/01/10 - (Felixstowe) Port back on the big ships route
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)EXECUTIVES at Britain's biggest port have secured an important new contract to give the New Year a promising business boost.
While cargo levels at Felixstowe have been up for the past few months, the container terminal still ended 2009 around five per cent down - not as bad though as first feared.
It has now been included for the first time on the schedule for Maersk Line's round the world AE7 Asia-Europe service. ukimports.org
19/01/10 - Southend Airport runway plan hits legal hurdle
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Plans to extend Southend Airport runway in Essex have hit a legal hurdle which could delay the start of work.
The government has blocked Southend Borough Council granting planning permission without authorisation by the Secretary of State John Denham.
The development control committee is due to consider the plans on Wednesday.
If the scheme is approved the decision will be frozen and the plans will go before Mr Denham who could decide to call a public inquiry. ukimports.org
19/01/10 - Japan Airlines to file for bankruptcy protection
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Japan Airlines (JAL), Asia's biggest air carrier, is due to file for bankruptcy protection, reports say.
JAL - which has $16.5bn (£10bn) of debts - is expected to make the move after a board meeting later on Tuesday. ukimports.org
18/01/10 - Cigarette smugglers jailed
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)FELIXSTOWE: Two smugglers are beginning jail terms today after taking part in a plot to import millions of illegal cigarettes through the port.
Welder Ross Fallon and David Reed, both aged 30, were sentenced to 18 months and three years' imprisonment respectively for their part in the conspiracy.
The scam was foiled by customs officers when they swooped to seize more than three million duty-free cigarettes disguised in a cargo of dishcloths, dustpans and plastic cutlery.
Fallon and Reed, both from Bradford, were caught in November 2008 after a container arrived at the port of Felixstowe.
Customs officers trailed the container to an industrial estate in Baildon, Bradford, where they caught Fallon and two other men red-handed unloading the cigarettes. ukimports.org
18/01/10 - Japan Airlines shares hit new record low of 5 yen
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Shares in the troubled carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) have plunged to a record low of 5 yen (6 cents, 3 pence) ahead of an expected bankruptcy filing.
The bankruptcy is part of a government bail-out that is likely to be announced on Tuesday, reports say.
The company, which lost about $1.5bn in the six months to September, is now worth just $150m - less than the price of a new jumbo jet. ukimports.org
15/01/10 - Two injured in M1 lorry collision
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Two drivers were injured in a collision involving five lorries and two vans which shut the M1 between the Milton Keynes and Northampton junctions.
The early-morning incident caused long delays when the northbound carriageway was shut for five hours. ukimports.org
15/01/10 - HM Revenue and Customs 'missed 44 million calls'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)HM Revenue and Customs failed to answer about 44 million phone calls last year, Whitehall's spending watchdog says.
The National Audit Office called the performance of 31 customer "contact centres" during 2008/09 "unacceptable".
Despite employing the equivalent of 10,500 full-time staff at a cost of £233m, it still failed to pick up 43% of the 103 million calls received.
HMRC said its performance had improved in 2009-10 and that it was "committed" to providing a better, cheaper service. ukimports.org
13/01/10 - Flight delays warning after snow shut Gatwick runway
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Passengers flying from Gatwick Airport are facing disruptions as snowfall forced the closure of its runway earlier until 1600 GMT.
Passengers travelling in the next 24 hours have been advised to contact their airline before travelling to the Sussex airport.
A spokesman said: "We regret the disruption, but the safety of aircraft and passengers is our top priority."
Priority is being being given to departures with some limited arrivals. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Explosives alert closes US port
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Thousands of illegally-imported anti-impotence pills have been seized at Newcastle Airport.
UK Border Agency officers found 80,000 Sildenafil tablets during checks on cargo which arrived by road freight from Heathrow at the end of last week.
It is not known whether the pills, which can be sold as Viagra, are genuine or counterfeit, though they are likely to be fake.
Labelled as food additives, they were flown to Heathrow from Mumbai in India. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Explosives alert closes US port
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A major US port in the state of North Carolina has been closed after containers carrying explosive material were found punctured in Morehead City.
People have been told to leave the area. The chemical involved, known as PETN, is a powerful explosive.
The mayor said a forklift operator had accidentally punctured at least one container. No injuries are reported.
The Morehead port - one of the deepest on the US East coast - is a major entry point for commodities. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Man hurt in A14 smash (near Felixstowe)
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)POLICE this afternoon re-opened the A14 near Felixstowe after it was blocked for more than five hours following a crash involving two juggernauts.
The 38-ton trucks collided on the Ipswich-bound carriageway on the Port of Felixstowe road - one appeared to have run into the back of the other.
Firefighters successfully freed one driver trapped in his lorry cab. It is understood his injuries are not life-threatening.
The other driver suffered minor arm injuries.
The accident brought the area to a standstill with the road sealed off as police carried out a clear-up operation. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Serial cigarette smuggler jailed
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A serial smuggler has been jailed after being caught out four times by customs chiefs attempting to bring tobacco into the UK.
Kevin Roberts tried to bring 78kg (172 lbs) of tobacco and 8,600 cigarettes through the Channel Tunnel, Manchester Airport and Portsmouth Ferry Port.
The 48-year-old, from Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to evading more than £10,000 in duty.
Roberts was sentenced at Portsmouth Crown Court to three months in prison.
An HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) spokeswoman said that Roberts, a former pottery factory worker, was intercepted on four occasions for smuggling. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Heathrow robbery accused face first trial without jury
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Four men have appeared in court in the first crown court criminal trial to be held without a jury in England and Wales for more than 350 years.
The case concerns four men accused of a £1.75m armed robbery at a cash depot at Heathrow Airport, west London, in 2004.
Last June, Lord Chief Justice Lord Judge made legal history by allowing the trial to be heard by a judge alone as he feared jury "tampering".
One of the accused men's barristers said: "We are breaking history." ukimports.org
12/01/10 - UK exports in November rose to the highest in 13 months
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)UK exports in November jumped to the highest in 13 months, official figures have shown.
Exports rose to £20.2bn, the most since October 2008, driven by sales of consumer goods and chemicals, the Office for National Statistics said.
That helped to narrow the UK's trade deficit with the rest of the world to £6.78bn, from £7.02bn in October 2009. ukimports.org
12/01/10 - Freeze-hit transport 'good as can be expected' - Adonis
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)UK transport is "as good as could be expected" given the freezing weather, Lord Adonis has said - as talks go on over how to preserve road salt stocks.
The transport secretary has indicated councils may have to cut salt use by more than the 25% already agreed.
Roads remain treacherous because of ice in many areas, with Northants and Flintshire councils among those reporting critically low grit reserves.
Up to 20cm (8in) more snow is expected in south-west England and south Wales.
Met Office weather warnings are in place for those areas, while parts of central and southern England could also see more snow overnight. ukimports.org
11/01/10 - 'Flight bomb threat' man remanded
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A passenger has appeared in court charged with making a bomb threat which grounded a plane at London's Heathrow Airport.
Ronald Fowles, 58, from Dover, Kent, is accused of making a bomb hoax and also being drunk on the flight on 8 January.
Armed police boarded the Dubai-bound Emirates flight after remarks were made to cabin crew.
He appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court and was remanded in custody until 18 January. ukimports.org
10/01/10 - China 'overtakes Germany as world's largest exporter'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)China's exports rose 17.7% in December, state media have reported, suggesting the country has overtaken Germany as the world's largest exporter.
The rise, compared to a year earlier, breaks a 13-month decline in trade as a result of the global downturn.
Xinhua said total exports for 2009 were $1.2tn (£749bn), but total foreign trade over the year was down 13.9%.
Correspondents say the figures will lead to new demands from China's competitors that it revalue the yuan. ukimports.org
09/01/10 - Three held after security alert at Heathrow Airport
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Police have arrested three men on a plane at London's Heathrow Airport on suspicion of making a bomb threat.
Armed officers boarded the Dubai-bound Emirates flight after verbal threats were made to air crew.
The Metropolitan Police said the three men, aged aged 58, 48 and 36, were in police custody.
The incident came amid heightened tension at airports across the world following an unsuccessful attempt to bomb an airliner on Christmas Day.
The Metropolitan Police said police were called after a "verbal threat was made to staff".
"They have been arrested on suspicion of making a bomb threat," the force said. ukimports.org
09/01/10 - Eurostar still affected by snow
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Eurostar services between London and Paris have continued to be affected by fresh snowfall and freezing temperatures.
Passengers are being urged to cancel or postpone their trips if possible because of the weather conditions.
The firm said it was restricting the number of trains it was running through the Channel Tunnel because of the low temperatures.
Early morning and late night services at the weekend have been cancelled. ukimports.org
07/01/10 - Airport chaos as icy weather grips northern Europe
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The icy weather gripping northern Europe has disrupted flights at airports in the UK, France, the Irish Republic and the Netherlands.
Many flights were delayed or cancelled at Orly airport in Paris, Dublin airport and Amsterdam-Schiphol, as well as major UK airports.
In Germany, at least nine homeless men aged from 42 to 62 froze to death.
A Eurostar train was stuck for about two hours in the Channel Tunnel on Thursday. It later reached the UK.
Four other Eurostar trains were cancelled, a company spokesman said. ukimports.org
07/01/10 - Snowfall causes fresh disruption
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Fresh snowfall and freezing temperatures have been causing travel disruption in Kent.
The M20 London-bound carriageway reopened on Thursday afternoon after being closed for several hours between junctions 8 and 7 after an accident. ukimports.org
07/01/10 - Thames airport 'completely wrong'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Plans by London's mayor to build an airport on an artificial island in the Thames estuary have been branded "pie in the sky" by Medway Council.
A feasibility review approved by the council's cabinet says Boris Johnson's plan is "completely wrong".
It says the airport would be some 60 miles from London and would be like moving Manchester Airport to Leeds. ukimports.org
06/01/10 - High winds and snow closes Felixstowe container port
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The port of Felixstowe in Suffolk has shut because of high winds while snow grips the county and a severe weather warning is issued by the Met Office.
Heavy snow is hitting east Suffolk and the port has now been closed, with police implementing Operation Stack.
Container lorries destined for the port will be parked up along the inside lanes of the A14 near Levington. ukimports.org
06/01/10 - Snowbound Gatwick reopens runway
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The runway at Gatwick Airport has been cleared of snow and reopened though hundreds of flights remain cancelled.
A total of 438 flights were cancelled and only two incoming flights managed to reach Gatwick before the runway closed for snow clearance.
The runway reopened on Wednesday evening, but passengers were urged to contact their airline for information.
Disruption to railways and roads across Sussex saw some passengers taking six instead of one hour to reach London. ukimports.org
06/01/10 - DP World to seek London listing
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)DP World, the container port business owned by troubled investment group Dubai World, is to seek a share listing on the London Stock Exchange.
The planned listing would be the second for DP World, which has been a member of the Dubai Stock Exchange since 2007.
The firm, which owns 49 ports around the world, has been disappointed with its valuation on that exchange. ukimports.org
05/01/10 - US pilot admits being over alcohol limit
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A US pilot has pleaded guilty to being over the alcohol limit as he prepared to take off from Heathrow Airport.
Erwin Washington, 51, from Lakewood, Colorado, was arrested in November last year on a flight that was due to leave Heathrow Airport.
A breath test showed Washington was more than three times the permitted limit to fly a plane.
The United Airlines pilot will be sentenced on 5 February, Uxbridge Magistrates' Court ruled. ukimports.org
05/01/10 - Schools and airports closed after heavy snow in England
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Hundreds of schools have been closed and airports have suspended flights after heavy snowfall across large areas of England.
Manchester Airport and Leeds Bradford have reopened after closing earlier and there remains no flights out of Blackpool International.
A man died when two lorries collided in the snow on the M60 in Manchester.
Most of England is covered in snow and the Met Office has issued severe weather warnings across the country.
Liverpool John Lennon Airport was closed during various periods of the day and the runway at Birmingham Airport was out of action for two hours, leading to delays and cancellations. ukimports.org
04/01/10 - Ryanair plane from Liverpool hit by fire scare
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A plane had to make an emergency landing soon after take off from Liverpool John Lennon Airport, over fears of a fire on board.
Six crew and 116 passengers used emergency chutes to leave the Ryanair flight to Agadir, Morocco, which returned to Liverpool at 1600 GMT.
A warning light had activated but engineers have checked the aircraft and confirmed there was no fire.
The airport was closed for about an hour. No-one was injured.
The scare happened shortly after flight FR4021 took off. ukimports.org
04/01/10 - Japan Airlines shares jump 31% on loan deal
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Shares in Japan Airlines (JAL) jumped more than 30% on Monday following a deal to extend government loans.
On Sunday, the Japanese government agreed to double an offer of state-funded credit to JAL to 200bn yen ($2.2bn; £1.3bn).
More than half of the 100bn yen already pledged has been used by the airline, the government said.
The move follows concerns among investors last week that JAL was close to filing for bankruptcy protection.
The extra funding was agreed by Deputy Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Transport Minister Seiji Maehara and other ministers at a meeting on Sunday. ukimports.org
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