Archives: September 2009 cargo news
The News stories below are cargo / freight related stories which made the headlines in September 2009 (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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29/09/09 - Massive changes coming to docks
- Courtesy of The Kent Messenger (www.kentonline.co.uk)A massive regeneration project to transform Sheerness Port with hundreds of millions of pounds in investment for a new marina, housing and hundreds of jobs, has been announced.
The details are:
- A new centrepiece marina for up to 500 large yachts will be created at the heart of the project
- A 15-year scheme from port owners The Peel Group will rejuvenate and expand docks with three new deep water berths
- Hundreds of jobs to be created with housing scheme on the site which includes a port extension in the Thames Estuary
- The population of Sheerness will increase by around a half with the arrival of new homes and businesses designed to compliment existing high street traders
- Significant improvements expected to road infrastructure to the port to accommodate new housing and commercial operations
Dock owners, The Peel Group, has committed to the 15 year-scheme which it says will offer a huge economic boost with a radical re-design of the layout of the port and extension of commercial shipping facilities. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Drug smuggler gets 16-year jail term
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)A LORRY driver has been given a 16-year jail term for attempting to smuggle drugs worth £2.5million through Harwich in fresh flower boxes.
Thompson Spence was found guilty of trying to import diamorphine (heroin) and cannabis into England, following an 11-day trial at Ipswich Crown Court.
The drugs weighed a total of 68 kilogrammes.
The 43-year-old was intercepted by UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers on May 29 last year at Harwich International Port. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Airport demolition work beginning
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Demolition of the oldest building at west London's Heathrow Airport has begun as part of a £1bn refurbishment.
The Queen's Building at Terminal 2, which opened in 1955, will be knocked down by January 2010 when demolition of the rest of the terminal will begin.
Terminal 2 serves eight million passengers per year but it will serve 20 million when refurbishment is complete in 2013, operator BAA said. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Air India protest hampers flights
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded in India because of a strike by senior pilots working for the national carrier, Air India.
The company says that a significant number of flights have been disrupted after pilots reported sick for a fourth consecutive day as part of a protest.
The pilots are protesting against the cancellation of performance-related bonuses by the cash-strapped airline.
Talks between pilots and management failed to reach a solution on Monday. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Yen falls from eight-month highs
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The yen has weakened from Monday's eight-month highs against the US dollar following comments from Japanese Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii.
It hit 88.23 to the dollar on Monday after Mr Fujii made comments taken to mean that he was comfortable with the yen's strength.
But on Tuesday, he said the government might intervene in the currency markets if exchange rates made irregular moves.
The yen gave up most of Monday's gains, returning to about 90 to the dollar. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Council sued on City flights rise
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)An east London council has been taken to court for allegedly failing to consult residents before allowing a 50% increase in flights from City Airport.
Fight the Flights said it was suing Newham Council for approving the expansion in October without consulting residents and other affected boroughs. ukimports.org
29/09/09 - Man bailed in airport liquid leak
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A man who was arrested after a bag containing leaking chemicals was found in luggage at Manchester Airport has been released on bail.
Police were called to terminal two on Monday when a strong smell was reported coming from a bag about to be loaded onto a KLM flight to Amsterdam.
The man was arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft and has been bailed until 5 January.
Two bottles of a chemical, later revealed to be ethylamine, were found. ukimports.org
27/09/09 - Port bucks trend as traffic grows
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Portsmouth's port says it is defying the recession by taking more passengers and vehicles over the past few months.
Between April and August, including the busy summer holiday season, the port saw a 6% increase in private vehicles and a 4% increase in passenger numbers.
Over the same time period, freight traffic showed only a 1% decline.
Since April the port has handled more than 1.3m passengers, travelling in 400,000 vehicles, and has also dealt with 106,000 freight units. ukimports.org
25/09/09 - Four million cigarettes uncovered
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A Hungarian lorry driver has been arrested after more than four million cigarettes were found at Dover.
Customs officers who stopped a Hungarian-registered lorry at the Kent port on Thursday found an estimated £708,000 worth of cigarettes. ukimports.org
25/09/09 - Major alert sparked after 'mine' reported in the Channel
- Courtesy of The Kent Messenger (www.kentonline.co.uk)Dover Lifeboat crew spent some time searching the English Channel last night for a suspected bomb.
Dover Coastguard asked the lifeboat for help following a report that there was a mine in the sea off Dover.
The Coastguard were concerned that if it was explosive could have devastating consequences considering the number of cargo vessels using the Channel at the time. ukimports.org
24/09/09 - Japan Airlines requests bail-out
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Loss-making carrier Japan Airlines (JAL) has asked for a government bail-out to help it survive.
JAL president Haruka Nishimatsu made the requests after meeting Japan's new transport minister. He also proposed a more drastic restructuring.
The airline recently announced plans to cut 6,800 jobs.
JAL's shares had already tumbled 18% to a record low on rumours that it was seeking public money, or that it might seek to break up the company. ukimports.org
24/09/09 - Japanese exports fell in August
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Japan's exports in August were down 36% in August from the same month last year due to a lack of demand from the rest of the world economy.
Exports fell for the 11th straight month to 4.5tn yen ($49bn; £29.9bn), the finance ministry said.
But it was the seventh consecutive month that Japan's exports exceeded its imports by value.
The world's second-largest economy had a trade surplus of 185.7bn yen, compared with a deficit last year. ukimports.org
23/09/09 - 'Illegal' waste cargo is searched
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Inspectors in the port of Felixstowe are examining 91 containers of rubbish that was allegedly illegally exported to Brazil by two Swindon-based firms.
In July, three men were arrested in the Wiltshire town after Brazil sent a ship carrying the waste back to the UK.
Environment Agency inspectors have found dirty nappies, food and underwear in the containers they have opened so far. The operation is continuing.
It is illegal to export waste from the UK which cannot be recycled. ukimports.org
22/09/09 - Crews tackle dock warehouse fire
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Firefighters have tackled a fire in a warehouse at Liverpool docks.
A number of industrial buildings were evacuated as crews extinguished the flames on Huskisson Dock. ukimports.org
22/09/09 - Airport replacing transit system
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)An inter-terminal transit system at Gatwick Airport is closing so a new shuttle system can be brought in.
BAA, operator of the airport in West Sussex, said the development was part of a £1bn investment programme. ukimports.org
21/09/09 - No recovery in sight, says Qantas
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Qantas Airways has painted a gloomy picture of the airline industry, saying it has yet to see "any significant improvement in business conditions".
The Australian flag carrier said the global outlook "remains uncertain". ukimports.org
21/09/09 - Ports fined over worker's death
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A port operator has been fined £266,000 after a worker at a Suffolk port was struck by a vehicle and died.
Cargo handler Brian Vince, 60, was servicing a roll-on roll-off ferry at Ipswich when he was struck by a reversing trailer in 2007.
Associated British Ports (ABP), the largest port operator in the UK, admitted health and safety breaches, at Ipswich Magistrates' Court.
It was also ordered to pay costs of just under £75,000. ukimports.org
17/09/09 - FedEx lifts rates as profits fall
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)The delivery company FedEx has said it plans to increase its prices next year after reporting falling profits.
Its net profit for the three months to the end of August was $181m (£110m), which was down 53% from the same period last year.
The company said that the slow economy was hurting its sales. It is to raise express shipping rates 5.9% in January.
It said falling fuel prices had reduced its profitability because its fuel surcharges lag behind the price of oil. ukimports.org
17/09/09 - Police auction Porsche seized from criminal
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)CHARITIES in Norfolk are set to gain after the local police force was granted the right to auction off property seized from a criminal.
Norfolk Constabulary is sending out a clear message to criminals that their highly prized and valuable ill-gotten gains will be seized.
... The Porsche was first sold in 2000 but not legitimately imported into the UK, but following an order of Court, it can now be lawfully sold. ukimports.org
17/09/09 - JAL turnaround plans under review
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Japan's new government has said it will review restructuring plans announced by Japan Airlines' (JAL) this week, which included cutting 6,800 jobs.
The plans were drawn up under a committee appointed by the previous administration, which was defeated in a general election at the end of August.
The new government said it will appoint a new committee to oversee the plans.
JAL lost about $1bn (£605m) between April and June as ticket sales fell during the global downturn. ukimports.org
16/09/09 - One million fake cigarettes seized at Felixstowe
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)BORDER officials have foiled an attempt to smuggle approximately one million counterfeit cigarettes into Felixstowe, it has been announced today.
The high quality fakes - branded Regal and Superking - arrived at Felixstowe concealed in a consignment of industrial electric fans and were seized by UK Border Agency officers on Sunday.
Mick Southgate, UK Border Agency senior officer at Felixstowe, said: “This was an elaborate attempt to evade detection. Smuggling cheats the British taxpayer and undermines honest traders.
“People who make the mistake of buying counterfeit cigarettes might think they are getting a bargain, but these goods are totally unregulated and have been known to contain all manner of unsavoury ingredients, from sawdust to rat droppings, and even toxic materials like cadmium and arsenic.”
The cigarettes had been shipped from China and were hidden inside a hollowed out section of the fans themselves. ukimports.org
16/09/09 - Postal strike action continuing
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A series of local postal strikes are continuing to take place across England ahead of the start of an official ballot for a UK-wide national walkout.
The latest localised strikes by Communication Workers Union (CWU) members are taking place in cites including London, Leeds and Birmingham.
The CWU accuses Royal Mail of pushing ahead with job cuts and will send out national ballot papers on Thursday. ukimports.org
15/09/09 - 'Fast' landing led tyres to burst
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A plane touched down too fast at London City Airport which led to four of its tyres bursting, a report by safety inspectors has found.
The Air France jet from Paris, carrying 55 passengers and five crew, burst all four main landing gear tyres during a landing in February 2007. ukimports.org
14/09/09 - Long delays for A14 travellers
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)TRAVELLERS heading for Suffolk were facing long delays tonight after the A14 was closed in both directions in Northamptonshire.
The closure came after two lorries collided and one burst into flames.
Police said the accident, at junctions eight and nine at Kettering, was reported at 9.06pm. ukimports.org
14/09/09 - China and US in new trade dispute
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)China has launched an "anti-dumping and anti-subsidy" probe into imports of some US car products and chicken meat.
The Commerce Ministry said there were concerns the US imports had "dealt a blow to domestic industries".
It comes a day after the US imposed tariffs on Chinese tyre imports in order "to remedy a market disruption caused by a surge in tyre imports".
The case is the latest in a series of recent trade disputes between China and the US. ukimports.org
13/09/09 - India airline pilots end strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A five-day strike by pilots at Indian airline Jet Airways which led to the cancellation of 800 flights has ended.
More than 400 of the company's pilots called in sick to protest after two of their colleagues were sacked for setting up a trade union.
The airline and pilots' union said they had agreed to hold talks. The sacked pilots will be re-instated.
The company's executive director reportedly said international flights would resume immediately. ukimports.org
12/09/09 - More post strikes ahead of ballot
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Postal workers across the UK have gone on strike again as part of a long-running row over modernisation plans.
The latest 24-hour walkout is affecting deliveries in locations including Bridgend, London and Glasgow, and has added to a growing post backlog.
It comes ahead of a national ballot for strike action among members of the Communication Workers Union next week. ukimports.org
11/09/09 - Lorry crash shuts Dartford Tunnel
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Part of the Dartford Tunnel was closed following a crash involving four lorries.
The accident took place in the west bore of the Dartford Tunnel, taking traffic from Kent to Essex, on the M25 just after 1015 BST. ukimports.org
11/09/09 - China's exports see sharp decline
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)China's exports continued to decline in August, down 23% from the same month last year.
Official figures show exports fell to $103.7bn, from $134.9bn in August 2008. Exports of almost all major industrial products saw double-digit drops.
The trade surplus fell 45% from August 2008 to $15.7bn, but was up from July.
Recent signs that recession has ended in some major economies, including China's major trading partner Japan, suggest that exports may pick up again. ukimports.org
09/09/09 - Post workers on city-wide strike
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Thousands of postal workers across London have walked out for 24 hours in a row over jobs and pay cuts.
Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) began the strike from 0300 BST in delivery offices and collection hubs across the city. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Operation Stack launched at Felixstowe
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)OPERATION Stack has been launched at Felixstowe Port this evening because of high winds.
Felixstowe Road has been closed in both directions at Levington until conditions subside. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Lorry blitz finds illegal driving
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Half of the lorry drivers stopped by Essex police in a one-day crackdown were breaking the law, the force said.
Officers stopped 47 vehicles on the M25 at Thurrock Services on Wednesday and found 23 drivers over their legal hours or their lorries poorly maintained.
Two vehicles were seized and stopped from travelling further, while another was impounded by the UK Border Agency.
The road policing unit said it also discovered a "staggering" 331 drivers' hours infringements. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Pedestrian struck by lorry dies (near Heathrow)
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)A pedestrian has died after he was hit by a lorry in Surrey.
Police said it happened on the A308 Staines Road West, between Sunbury Cross and Staines, at 0940 BST. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Smuggled drink to be poured away
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Almost 16,000 bottles of whisky and gin smuggled into the UK via a port in Suffolk will be poured away, the UK Border Agency said.
Officers at Felixstowe docks seized the 15,840 bottles of spirits that arrived from Spain, on 27 August.
The agency said the bottles could have been destined for an unauthorised warehouse and would have evaded excise duty to the tune of £136,000.
No arrests have yet been made and investigations are continuing. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Anger as giant warehouse approved
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Opponents have reacted with fury at a government decision to ignore a planning inspector's recommendation and give the go ahead to a huge warehouse.
Developers ProLogis and PRUPIM want to build what will be one of southern England's largest warehouses at Pyestock in Hampshire.
Hart council rejected the plans after residents voiced concerns about sleep deprivation, pollution and noise.
But the government pushed through the plan saying it will create 1,500 jobs. ukimports.org
03/09/09 - Jobs at risk in Easyjet cutbacks
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Budget airline Easyjet has said jobs are at risk as it plans to cut flights out of Luton airport.
The airline said it would consult on a reduction of the number of flight crews at its bases in Belfast, Bristol, Newcastle and London Stansted.
The airline also plans to close its base at East Midlands airport.
The decision comes amid a row over landing charges at Luton. Easyjet said it would look to relocate the flights to more "profitable bases" elsewhere. ukimports.org
02/09/09 - Plumber jailed for smuggling 3kg of cocaine through Dover
- Courtesy of The Kent Messenger (www.kentonline.co.uk)A plumber has been jailed for 11 years after admitting smuggling three kilos of cocaine through Dover.
Stephen Atyeo, 44, of Hawthorn Hill Road, Dunbarton in Scotland, was found with the drugs worth around £120,000 in his car in June.
He was stopped by UK Border Agency officers after he arrived at Dover on a ferry from Calais.
Following the discovery of the drugs in the air vents and beneath the back seats of his car, he was arrested and charged.
When questioned, Atyeo said he had been to Belgium to carry out repairs to a caravan he owns. ukimports.org
02/09/09 - Pair aged 70 deny smuggling drugs
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Two 70-year-olds helped flood Britain with cannabis with a value of millions of pounds, disguised as frozen chicken imports, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Londonders Derek Mercer, of Sandown Road, South Norwood, and John Rowe, of Mansford Street, Bethnal Green, deny smuggling drugs on or before 16 March.
The prosecution alleges a gang of five transported the Dutch consignments from Bury St Edmunds to Grays in Essex.
The court heard three other men have admitted taking part in the operation.
Andrew Marshall, prosecuting, said after importation the next stage was to "very quickly distribute" the Class B drug to customers so "the evidence disappears". ukimports.org
01/09/09 - Airline losses 'hit $1bn a month'
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Airlines are likely to have lost more than $6bn (£3.7bn) in the first half of 2009, according to the International Air Transport Association (Iata).
This figure - an average of $1bn a month - is double the amount Iata said in December that airlines would lose during the whole of 2009.
Airlines made losses between April and June, when they would usually make 50% of their annual profits, Iata said.
But passenger and freight volumes are starting to improve, it said. ukimports.org
01/09/09 - New 10-year strategy for railway
- Courtesy of The BBC (www.bbc.co.uk)Network Rail has released a draft 10-year strategy for developing railways across the Great Western network.
The rail infrastructure company said demand was set to grow 31% by 2019, dealing with 100m passengers a year.
It said more investment in faster trains, more services and infrastructure were necessary to ease over-crowding and improve performance. ukimports.org
01/09/09 - Problems on roads cost county millions
- Courtesy of The Ipswich Evening Star (www.eveningstar.co.uk)ACCIDENTS, snarl-ups and congestion on the roads is costing the cash-strapped Suffolk economy around £80million a year, it emerged today.
The shock figure has prompted renewed calls to improve the transport network as the county fights the recession.
The study by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) also predicts the cost to the region - currently £1billion - could double by 2021 unless radical action is taken.
Hauliers estimate the price tag for their business can sometimes reach £1million a day if the A14 is closed. ukimports.org
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