Today, the Silk Road is just as active a trade route as it was 700 years ago, but there's a certain "back to the future" feel to the most recent projects linking Europe and China. The mode of choice being talked about now is not ocean or air cargo but rail freight.
What seemed like a sure deal may not be a slam-dunk after all. Regulators in the European Union have said they may consider demanding concessions, including the selling off of some assets, with regard to the proposed takeover of TNT Express by FedEx Corp.
As we head deeper into autumn and ever closer toward peak season, the airfreight traffic numbers for August provided some pockets of good news, but offered little encouragement that the current air cargo stagnation has abated. According to reports from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), WorldACD and Drewry, August 2015 provided only the slimmest of indications of hope for better performance at the end of the year.
Upon mention of the Caribbean, most people think of idyllic white-sand beaches, Hollywood pirates, the magical sound of steel drums, a handsomely crafted rum cocktail. But the region ringed by Central America, the northern coast of South America and an arc of island nations stretching toward the tip of South Florida – is more than a picturesque vacation spot. It is becoming a key jumping-off point for cargo flights between the Americas and the rest of the world, including Europe, Africa and now the Middle East.
TNT has enhanced its service to Nordic countries, with improved air connections to Sweden and Finland, and additional last-mile delivery capacity in large business centers.
CEOs of third-party logistics services providers are confident about the current state and future revenue growth potential of both their companies and the regional 3PL industries.
