Newsletter 13/2023: Actual situation in international transport

So far the shippers confirm bookings without problems except for the acceptance of some IMO cargos. Some of the shippers and LCL co-loaders are increasing the WRS (War Risk Surcharge).

And some shippers have taken the accommodating step of not charging demurrage and detention for shipments discharged at Israeli ports after 8/10, effective for now until 8/11.

Some airlines have temporarily suspended service to Tel Aviv. Alternatively, they are reopening their services according to the current situation. However, we can still provide air service to Tel Aviv.
Rates have, quite understandably, increased significantly.
The situation is similar in the import direction. It may happen that a shipment from the interior is delivered to the airport, cleared and then awaits departure.

 

Our partner works in Israel, but local services (customs clearance, distribution) are limited and significantly more expensive. We handle each shipment on a piece-by-piece basis.

The closure of the line between Bad Schandau and Decin, negatively affecting the connection with Hamburg and Bremerhaven, has just ended, and we are seeing a reduction in intermodal connections with another port. The Baltic Hub in Gdansk has a train handling capacity limited to 60% until 13 November. Ship arrivals at the terminal are therefore also limited, so there may be slight delays for shipments en route.

 

The situation has improved after Golden Week. Capacity is available relatively smoothly for both exports and imports. We are now able to handle both export and import LCL shipments in collection containers, which are loaded/unloaded in Ceska Trebova.

We would like to remind you of the possibility of transporting goods from Turkey by rail. Some customers already use this method of transport on a regular basis. The transit time between the terminals (Istanbul and Dunajská Streda) is 5-6 days, the total transit time from door to door is 10-14 days. The transport is reliable and environmentally friendly. Of course, goods can also be transported in the same way from the opposite direction.

It is very well possible to arrange transport of goods to Kazakhstan along a route that bypasses Russia. We transport both normal full truckload shipments and oversized goods.

The toll for trucks in Germany will increase by an additional CO₂ surcharge from 1 December. The news was approved by the Bundestag. The Czech hauliers' association Česmad Bohemia has calculated that the CO₂ surcharge for trucks over 18 tonnes with five or more axles and a EURO VI engine will be EUR 0.158/km (CZK 3.90/km), an increase of 83 percent on the current charge. "This will mean that, for example, a Czech haulier will pay CZK 2,000 more for the German section alone when travelling to Hamburg as of 1 December, and over EUR 60 more for a transit to France via Germany." said Martin Felix, spokesman of Česmad.
Unfortunately, this means that we will be forced to reflect this new CO₂ surcharge in our road transport prices, both with a pick-up or delivery point in Germany and for transport routes transiting Germany.
As this is not a purely German initiative, but only the first implementation of the new EU directive, we must expect to see the new CO₂ surcharge applied in other EU countries in the coming months.

In previous newsletters, we have informed you about the impact of the EU's 11th sanctions package measures against Ruck. The subject was the list of commodities that cannot be exported to China via Russia.
In October, a ban on the import of iron/steel products made from Russian iron/steel (classified in the customs nomenclature under codes 72 and 73) was added to these restrictions. We have already successfully cleared for free circulation a number of shipments with these customs codes. This has been achieved by working closely with the customs authorities and the importers themselves. So we know how to do it. The measures apply to imports of these commodities from all non-EU countries.

The transport of raw timber (logs) to China is still in operation and the capacity of the tractors is being used mainly at the terminal in Česká Třebová. However, we are not involved in these transports and prefer not to look at them.