Archives: October 2008 cargo news
The News stories below are cargo / freight related stories which made the headlines in October 2008 (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 is not responsible for any content or advice given in any external site and we are not endorsing or promoting any product or company referred to on our site. ukimports.org
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29/10/08 - Important information for the trade relating to the Tariff Classification Advice line
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)The Tariff Classification Advice line will be closed from Wednesday 5 – Tuesday 11 November inclusive, reopening on Wednesday 12 November. ukimports.org
29/10/08 - Labour MPs oppose Heathrow runway
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A growing number of Labour MPs have urged ministers to rethink their plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport.
MPs from all parties have signed a Commons motion urging the government to look at "alternative solutions" to take into account noise and air pollution. ukimports.org
29/10/08 - BMI being taken over by Lufthansa
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)UK airline BMI is being taken over by Germany's Lufthansa.
Lufthansa is buying the 50% of firm owned by BMI chairman Sir Michael Bishop, who forced the purchase under a long-standing agreement.
The German carrier was already BMI's second-largest shareholder, with a stake of 30% minus one share.
The deal will give Lufthansa control of more flights from London Heathrow airport than any other airline except British Airways. ukimports.org
29/10/08 - Ships collide in English Channel
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Two ships have been involved in a minor collision in the English Channel, Dover Coastguards said.
The two vessels collided at 0400 BST about 20 miles off the Kent coast, east of Ramsgate.
No-one on the Egyptian-flagged bulk carrier, WadiHalfa, and the British-registered cargo vessel, Scot Isles, was injured in the incident. ukimports.org
28/10/08 - Changing your VAT registration details or deregistering from VAT - New postal address
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)From 7 November 2008, all postal correspondence to change VAT registration details or to deregister from VAT is to be sent to Grimsby National Registration Service, HM Revenue & Customs, Imperial House, 77 Victoria Street, Grimsby, DN31 1DB. ukimports.org
28/10/08 - JCCC CIP (08) 66
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)Requirement to use NCTS for movements of goods under TIR from 1st January 2009. ukimports.org
28/10/08 - MPs question Heathrow runway plan
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The government is being urged to reconsider its plans for a third runway at Heathrow airport by its own MPs.
MPs from all parties have signed a commons motion urging ministers to look at "alternative solutions" to take into account noise and air pollution.
Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have already questioned the policy but 23 Labour MPs are among more than 50 who have signed the motion.
A decision on the runway at the west London airport will be made this year. ukimports.org
24/10/08 - BA ends long haul from Manchester
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)British Airways' (BA) last direct international flight from Manchester is due to take off.
The airline flies to New York for the final time at 1000 BST on Saturday and international BA passengers will afterwards have to travel via London.
A BA spokeswoman said a decline in business travellers and increased competition had forced the move.
New York was British Airways' only remaining international route from Manchester Airport. ukimports.org
24/10/08 - East business confidence slumps
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)BBC Look East business correspondent Richard Bond examines how the economic downturn is affecting the region.
Batten down the hatches. That seems to be the message for companies in the East of England right now. ukimports.org
23/10/08 - Guide to Importing & Exporting: Breaking down the Barriers
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)This information pack has been updated and acts as a basic guide for anyone wishing to import or export goods. ukimports.org
23/10/08 - Airlines hit economic turbulence
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)US Airways and Air France-KLM have both suffered sharp share falls due to the current economic slowdown.
American airline US Airways saw its shares fall 15.4% after it unveiled losses of $865m (£537m) for the third quarter of the year.
Meanwhile, European airline Air France-KLM's shares closed at their lowest level in over three years, down 12.3% at 11.87 euros.
It predicted zero growth for 2009 and 2010 and said traffic would fall. ukimports.org
23/10/08 - BAA in Heathrow rail link call
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The British Airports Authority (BAA) is calling for a high-speed rail link to Heathrow to complement a third runway at the west London airport.
The company believes Heathrow needs both if it is to compete with other European airports.
The airport operator will make the call to politicians and rail organisations at a rail conference in London.
A decision on the third runway at Heathrow will be made by the government by the end of the year. ukimports.org
22/10/08 - Economic troubles hit air traffic
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Airline traffic has fallen because of economic slowdown for the first time in 25 years, according to figures from the Association of European Airlines.
Overall traffic fell 1.1% in September, compared with the same month last year, while domestic traffic fell 12.4%.
Since the early 1980s, only the 11 September 2001 attacks, Sars and the Gulf Wars have caused such declines.
With European countries entering recession, traffic cannot be expected to recover quickly, the AEA said. ukimports.org
21/10/08 - Country Code list amendments in preparation for Export and Import Control system changes in 2009
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)A paper on country codes with effect from January 2009. ukimports.org
21/10/08 - CIP (08) 63 Post clearance recovery action of an import VAT debt
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)Information on import VAT. ukimports.org
20/10/08 - Drugs seized from docks trailer
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Customs officers have seized more than half a tonne of amphetamines at Felixstowe docks in Suffolk.
The drugs were discovered inside a 40ft (12m) trailer and two men were later arrested following the searches of five properties in the Leicester area.
Officers from HM Revenue and Customs, the UK Border Agency (UKBA) and Leicestershire Police were involved.
Details of the seizure, which happened on Wednesday, have just been released by HMRC.
The trailer arrived at the docks from Rotterdam and was due to be transported to Leicester when the amphetamines were found. ukimports.org
20/10/08 - Shipping ports face economic storm
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Asia has been feeling the impact of the global financial crisis as it depends on its exports being bought in the West, where consumers are tightening their belts. ukimports.org
Click here to watch the video news story
20/10/08 - Airport inquiry set for next year
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Proposals to expand an airport based in ecologically vulnerable land in Kent could reach a planning inquiry by early 2009, a council has confirmed.
It has taken almost two years for the London Ashford Airport at Lydd to submit all the relevant information to Shepway District Council.
The privately-owned airport plans to extend the runway and build a new terminal for 300,000 passengers a year. ukimports.org
20/10/08 - Academy for airport workers opens
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A new academy to recruit and train workers for Stansted Airport in Essex has been officially opened.
The Employment and Skills Academy aims to centralise recruitment and provide a centre dedicated to helping workers develop their skills.
The project, in which BAA Stansted will invest £200,000 over the next four years, will also run a training programme to help unemployed people. ukimports.org
20/10/08 - Pilot arrested over alcohol fears
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A pilot has been arrested on board a plane at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of being drunk at work.
The 44-year-old, who works for the US carrier United Airlines, was arrested after giving a breath test to police at Terminal 1 on Sunday morning.
He was held on suspicion of "performing an aviation function whilst exceeding the alcohol limit", said police. ukimports.org
17/10/08 - Spanish airline suspends flights
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Spanish-based airline LTE International has suspended operations after telling Spanish authorities that it was in serious financial difficulty.
LTE's website stopped taking bookings late on Thursday after it said it could not cover costs for the next few days.
The company said several thousand passengers had been affected by the cancellation of flights, including some who were stranded in Spain.
LTE runs flights from Spain to the UK, Italy and Saudi Arabia. ukimports.org
16/10/08 - Heathrow equality views welcomed
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A Berkshire council is "strongly urging" residents to make their voices heard in the latest consultation on plans to expand Heathrow Airport.
Views are being sought on how a third runway could affect disadvantaged groups across Windsor and Maidenhead.
But council leaders want all potential groups who could be affected to make their views clear in the consultation.
The Equalities Impact Assessment consultation runs until 9 November. ukimports.org
15/10/08 - Travel resumed after strike ends
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Ferry sailings between Dover and Calais have resumed following the suspension of the strike by port control officers in France.
Calais was closed at 0720 BST with both SeaFrance and P&O halting services due to the planned 24-hour strike.
The strike was called off before 1500 BST allowing the cross-Channel services to re-start.
Lorries are still queuing on the M20 as part of Operation Stack until the backlog of freight traffic is cleared. ukimports.org
15/10/08 - BA and Virgin cut fuel surcharges
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)British Airways and Virgin Atlantic are to cut their fuel surcharges for most passengers by up to £13 in response to a fall in the price of oil.
Both airlines are trimming the fares in their two cheapest classes but those above Virgin's premium economy and BA's World Traveller Plus see no reduction.
The price of oil has fallen sharply from above $147 a barrel in July to below $80 - making jet fuel cheaper.
The cost of fuel has been partly blamed for the collapse of several airlines. ukimports.org
15/10/08 - Full Tunnel reopening in February
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The Channel Tunnel will reopen completely in mid-February following last month's fire, operator Eurotunnel has confirmed.
The total cost of the restoration work will come in at under £50m, it added.
Services are now almost back to normal after initially being severely disrupted for several weeks.
The fire, which broke out on a freight train on 11 September, injured 14 people and closed the tunnel between the UK and France for almost two days.
A full report on the incident in the north tunnel is expected from the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority by September 2009. ukimports.org
15/10/08 - Ferry port's £15m plan approved
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A £15m scheme to build a new passenger terminal at a Hampshire ferry port has been given the go-ahead by councillors.
The development at Portsmouth Continental Ferry Port is expected to be completed by the end of 2010 and in use early the following year. ukimports.org
14/10/08 - French strike 'to hit M20 travel'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Motorists in Kent are being warned of serious freight and traffic delays if port control officers in France go ahead with a threatened 24-hour strike.
The action, due to start at 0700 BST on Wednesday, would bring the coastbound M20 to a standstill, Kent Police said.
If it goes ahead, ferry traffic will be unable to berth at either the ports of Calais or Boulogne and Operation Stack will be implemented on the motorway.
Talks were still continuing on Tuesday night to try to avert the strike. ukimports.org
13/10/08 - Council Regulation (EC) No 1001/2008
- Courtesy of The European Union (EU) (www.europa.eu)Anti-Dumping Duty (ADD) - on imports of certain tube and pipe fittings, of iron or steel, originating in the Republic of Korea and Malaysia. ukimports.org
13/10/08 - P&O to axe 62 Port of Dover jobs
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Ferry operator P&O has revealed plans to axe 62 jobs on its Dover to Calais service, blaming increased competition and difficult market circumstances.
The cuts will affect operational staff and on-board managers, but union officials said they hoped compulsory redundancies would be avoided. ukimports.org
13/10/08 - Tories warn firms off Heathrow
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The Conservative Party has warned firms not to get involved in any plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.
The Tories warned they would stop expansion of the west London airport if they won power at the general election.
"Anyone getting involved in any contract for a third runway should be very, very careful," said shadow Transport Secretary Theresa Villiers.
Meanwhile, women activists gathered in Parliament Square to voice their opposition against Heathrow expansion. ukimports.org
13/10/08 - BA flight makes priority landing
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A British Airways (BA) flight from France made a priority landing at Heathrow after fumes were detected in the passenger cabin.
Flight BA 341 took off from Nice at about 0630 BST on Monday with 137 passengers on board and landed at the west London airport shortly after 0800.
There were no reported injuries among passengers on the flight from Nice. ukimports.org
12/10/08 - BA flight makes emergency landing
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A British Airways flight has made an emergency landing at a German airport after an electrical fault was detected in its in-flight entertainment system.
The Boeing 777 was travelling from London's Heathrow to Delhi when the pilot was alerted to the problem by a cockpit alarm.
He diverted the plane, carrying 222 passengers and 16 crew, to Schoenefeld airport, south-east of Berlin. ukimports.org
10/10/08 - Notice 117 (AEO) Authorised Economic Operator
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)This notice cancels and replaces Notice 117 (July 2007). Details of any changes to the previous version can be found in paragraph 1.1 of this notice. ukimports.org
10/10/08 - Notice 476 Tobacco products duty
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)This notice cancels and replaces Notice 476 (March 2003). Details of any changes to the previous version can be found in paragraph 1.2 of this notice. ukimports.org
09/10/08 - JCCC CIP (08) 61 Economic Operator Registration and Identification (EORI) Scheme
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)Changes to TURNS and the new EORI system. ukimports.org
09/10/08 - Airport expansion gets go-ahead
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Controversial plans for an expansion of Stansted Airport in Essex have been given the go-ahead by the government.
Airport owner BAA wants to increase passenger numbers from 25 million to 35 million a year and flights leaving the airport from 241,000 to 264,000 a year. ukimports.org
08/10/08 - Clarification on CFSP import requirements for fresh fruit and vegetables
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)This paper clarifies which fresh fruit and vegetables are classed as CFSP controlled goods and may only be imported using Simplified Declaration Procedure using specific Customs Procedure Codes and which are not controlled and therefore eligible for Local Clearance Procedure. ukimports.org
08/10/08 - Airport in 25-year expansion plan
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A 25-year expansion plan which will see traffic levels at Kent International Airport increased has been unveiled.
Owners Infratil hope a million passengers will use the site each year by 2011, rising to six million by 2033.
It also expects freight carried through the airport, at Manston, to rise from 33,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes. ukimports.org
08/10/08 - Port's rail traffic sets a record
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A Suffolk port specialising in dealing with railway container traffic handled a record amount of freight in one week at the end of September, it has said.
The Port of Felixstowe's rail division handled 9,111 containers in the week ending 28 September. The previous record was 8,984, in September 2007. ukimports.org
08/10/08 - Decision due on flights increase
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The number of flights at London's City Airport will increase by 50% if expansion plans are approved.
It currently handles 80,000 flights a year, but if Newham Council approves the plan it will rise to 120,000.
A City Airport spokesman said it would create 1,000 jobs and enable the airport to better serve visitors in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics. ukimports.org
07/10/08 - Airport firms 'bringing millions'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)An annual event where businesses meet buyers at Heathrow has generated £70m of income in the region over 10 years, Spelthorne Council has said.
The event is being staged again in November by airport operator BAA, and local firms are encouraged to attend.
A spokesman for Spelthorne Council said it gave local companies the chance to benefit from millions of pounds being spent in and around the airport. ukimports.org
06/10/08 - Unofficial strike at post office
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Postal deliveries are threatened with disruption in Merseyside after hundreds of workers refused to a cross picket line at Copperas Hill sorting office.
About 400 postal workers in Liverpool are refusing to cross the picket lines mounted by maintenance engineers.
Employees of Romec, who maintain Royal Mail sites across the country, have walked out in a row over proposed changes to working conditions.
The action comes days after closure plans were announced for the facility.
The Royal Mail confirmed that the sorting office will close by 2010 when its work will be moved to Warrington in Cheshire. ukimports.org
06/10/08 - Third runway will 'damage health'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A third runway at Heathrow Airport would be "very detrimental" to Londoners' health, according to the new head of the Environment Agency (EA).
Lord Smith of Finsbury said the government had lost track of the green issues and said a new runway would fail EU air pollution limits.
But ministers insisted that any Heathrow expansion would have to meet strict local environment conditions.
A government decision on a third runway is due by the end of the year. ukimports.org
06/10/08 - BA flight makes emergency landing
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A British Airways flight from the UK to the US had to make an emergency landing after staff detected a burning smell, the airline has said.
Flight BA195 from London Heathrow to Houston was diverted to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on Sunday, landing at 1320 local time (1920 BST).
BA said that none of the passengers, thought to number about 90, nor the 15 crew members had been in danger.
BA said the smell had been caused by a fault with an in-flight TV screen. ukimports.org
02/10/08 - JCCC CIP (08) 60 Rules of Origin for canned (preserved) tuna/tuna loins exported from Madagascar
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)A derogation from the normal preferential Rules of Origin for preserved tuna and tuna loins exported from Madagascar which are released to free circulation in the European Community on or after 1 January 2008. ukimports.org
02/10/08 - JCCC CIP (08) 59 Requirement to produce timely information and positive replies to NCH Salford
- Courtesy of HM Revenue and Customs (www.hmrc.gov.uk)This paper addresses a concern over the lack of response by shipping agents and/or their customers to requests from the NCH. ukimports.org
01/10/08 - BA criticises Tory Heathrow plan
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Tory plans to scrap a third runway at Heathrow and build a high-speed rail line instead, "beggars belief", says British Airways' chief executive.
Willie Walsh told an audience in the City the plans would damage the economy and create "decades of delays".
He said the Conservatives were "all over the place" on aviation proposals.
The Tories have argued that a high speed rail network would improve transport links without the environmental impact of a new runway. ukimports.org
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UKimports.org is not responsible for any content or advice given in any external site and we are not endorsing or promoting any product or company referred to on our site. ukimports.org
