Weekly Logistics Briefing Key logistics updates for the week (Week 2 of July 2024)

The largest ports in Texas closed operations and vessel traffic on July 7 to prepare for Tropical Storm Beryl. The ports of Corpus Christi, Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City said they closed after condition "Zulu" was set by Coast Guard captains on Sunday. All vessel movement and cargo operations are restricted as gale force winds are expected within 12 hours. The Houston port will also be closed on July 8, and the operation on July 9 will be updated by 12 p.m. on July 8 (CT).

The Foreman union of DP World Canada, which operates two of Vancouver's four container ports (Venterm, Centerm, Prince Rupert, and Delta), filed a strike (effective July 8). And there was a request by the company to lock out operations (effective July 9). The company emphasized that the (BCMEA) union (ILWU) is going on an arbitrary strike while the Ministry of Labor is currently mediating it, and announced that it will suspend port operations if the government approves the strike. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) says a strike vote taken by a union representing ship and dock foremen is illegal.

Port congestion in Asia, particularly in Singapore, Port Klang, and Shanghai, is causing significant delays, with issues expected to persist into Augus. Ships rerouting to avoid the Red Sea are increasing congestion at alternative ports. In Singapore, vessel wait times have increased, and similar delays are observed at other ports. The situation is slowly improving but will take at least another month to resolve. Approximately 23% of global idled container capacity is currently in Southeast Asia.

The c2c rail services between London Fenchurch Street and Barking are undergoing significant engineering works, leading to disruptions over six consecutive weekends from June 1 to July 7. This maintenance work includes inspecting bridges and culverts, installing new tracks at Fenchurch Street station, and conducting general track maintenance and vegetation clearance around West Ham station. As a result of these works, trains will be diverted to start and terminate at London Liverpool Street instead of London Fenchurch Street. Passengers can use Docklands Light Railway and London Underground services at no extra cost to navigate the disrupted routes.

Hurricane Beryl is currently a Category 2 hurricane and is moving northwest toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as of July 4. It is expected to land in Quintana Roo State, Mexico on early July 5, then strengthen into a Category 1 hurricane, and land on the northeast coast of Tamaulipas State, Mexico on late July 7 or 8. On July 3, it passed the southern coast of Jamaica, and on early July 4, it passed the Cayman Islands. Jamaican authorities opened Sangster International Airport (MBJ) on the evening of July 4, and Norman Manley International Airport (KIN) is scheduled to open early on July 5. Owen Roberts International Airport (GCM) and Captain Charles Kirkconnell International Airport (CYB) in the Cayman Islands also resumed operation on July 4.

Union workers employed in Trenitalia, Italo, Trenord are scheduled to strike nationwide from 21:00 on July 6 to 21:00 on July 7. CUB, SGB, and USB unions are on strike, and the purpose of the strike is to improve working conditions. There is a high possibility that railway services will be suspended from the networks of the three carriers during the strike.

A cargo ship named Bellavia, flagged under Liberia, briefly lost engine power shortly after departing from the Port of Baltimore. The incident occurred early Monday, and despite the temporary malfunction, the ship managed to return to port safely. The U.S. Coast Guard oversaw the ship's voyage, ensuring a 500-yard safety zone around it. The event did not result in any significant damage or injuries. The incident is under investigation to determine the cause of the power loss.

Bad weather has caused considerable disruption at SVPI(Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International) airport. Four flights were cancelled and delays for 34 others, including 12 arrivals and 22 departures, on Tuesday. Several flights from Delhi have been moved to Terminal 2 and Terminal 3, causing a ripple effect of rescheduled and delayed flights across the country. The closure of Terminal 1 at IGI(Indira Gandhi International) airport in Delhi compounded the issue.

Strike action at Aberdeen and Glasgow airports is 'inevitable' said Unite union. Workers overwhelmingly voted to strike in a pay dispute on Tuesday. Unite confirmed the outcome of the vote on Tuesday with strike action supported by 98.5 of around 200 ICTS UK Limited workers at Glasgow and a further 100 or so at Aberdeen airport. ICTS Central Search employees deal with passengers directly in the security search areas and process them for flights, could start action in mid July. Union general secretary Sharon Graham said: 'ICTS is a very profitable company, yet it is refusing to make our members a fair pay offer'. Unition's lead industrial officer for aviation in Scotland Pat McIlvogue called on AGS to intervene in a final attempt.

Jet2 has issued an urgent warning to passengers traveling to the Mediterranean, specifically the eastern Mediterranean and Balearic Islands, due to severe thunderstorms expected to cause flight delays until July 3. Affected areas include Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. The area is often hit by storms and there were 826 lightning strikes last month. Travelers are advised to check for updates and allow extra time for travel to the airport, considering potential bad weather and road conditions. Currently, no flights are canceled, but delays are anticipated.