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Freight Solutions
- N ERP integration
- N Air, Ocean, Road operating 24/7/365
- N Tailored and dedicated solutions
Supply Chain
- N Audit, design and optimise
- N Global inventory control
- N Integrating systems stakeholders
Documentation
- N Digitise and automate data
- N Quality and productivity gains
- N Full range of compliance
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4PL News & Insights
Cautious CNY trans-Pacific surge
The trans-Pacific sea freight market is entering 2026 with pre-Chinese New Year volumes rising earlier than usual, spot rates climbing sharply and carriers leaning on capacity discipline to manage risk. Despite Chinese New Year falling later than usual this year,…
Disciplined capacity management shaping CNY sea freight
As Chinese New Year approaches, sea freight markets from Asia to Europe and the United States are being shaped less by price competition and more by carrier control. This year’s seasonal peak has arrived earlier than normal, with demand pulled…
Capacity challenges continue for RoRo and project shipper
Roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) and project cargo shippers are entering a decisive phase, as fleet expansion, industrial investment and energy-driven demand are converging, creating both opportunity and pressure for shippers moving vehicles, machinery and oversized cargo. The global Pure Car Carrier (PCC)…
UK supply chain policy is reshaping shipper risk and resilience
Government support for supply chains is increasingly being framed as a matter of national capability rather than short-term intervention. That shift was made explicit in June 2025, when the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy earmarked £600m for logistics sites, signalling that…
Asia–Europe peak season meets Chinese New Year
As the Asia–Europe trade moves deeper into peak season, Chinese New Year (CNY) is already reshaping pricing, capacity and execution risk. What was once a predictable seasonal slowdown has become a compressed, high-impact period where demand surges, capacity is tightly…
Smart 2026 supply chains are being engineered for pressure
Supply chains are no longer judged on efficiency alone, in 2026 they will be expected to anticipate disruption and adapt at speed to actively support growth. The experience of the past year confirmed that stability is no longer a realistic…
Rising Freight Crime Sparks Industry, Government and Police Action
Road haulage operators are on high alert as criminal activity peaks during the dark winter months, with investigations revealing how organised gangs are posing as legitimate operators, buying haulage companies, and infiltrating supply chains to steal trailer loads. The scale…
Progress and Paralysis in US Trade Policy
After weeks and months of economic tension and political uncertainty, a flurry of developments in early November have reshaped the outlook for US trade and logistics. From tariff rollbacks to port fee suspensions, and a potential landmark Supreme Court ruling…
France Ends Regime 42: What It Means for Exporters and Why You Should Attend Metro’s December Customs Webinar
France will withdraw Regime 42 from 1 January 2026, removing the VAT simplification that currently allows goods to enter France without import VAT when they are destined for another EU member state. The ending of Regime 42 has attracted little…
Continued Airfreight Growth Amid Emerging Challenges
Global air freight markets have continued to post positive year-on-year growth through September and October, reinforced by stronger than anticipated build up to peak season volumes, but recent indicators point to a moderating pace and emerging challenges that merit close…
USTR Port Fee Shockwave Hits Chinese Shipping and Vehicle Carrier Sectors
The U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) newly imposed port fee regime is massively impacting container and roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) operators, inflating operating costs, tightening vessel capacity, and prompting warnings of severe disruption to U.S. logistics. UPDATE 30 OCTOBER – Donald Trump and…
When the Suez Canal Comes Back Online: Hidden Risks for Supply Chains
With hopes rising of stabilising conflict in the Red Sea region, analysts are increasingly considering what it would mean if shipping lines resume full use of the Suez Canal route, and it’s not all good news. While the shorter route…
One Minute Late, Thousands Lost: U.S. Customs Tightens Enforcement Across All Modes
In U.S. trade compliance, even a one-minute delay can be costly. Recent cases show importers and logistics partners facing thousands of dollars in penalties simply because mandatory filings were completed moments after official cut-off times. U.S. Customs and Border Protection…
Carriers Pull Sailings and Add GRIs as US Port Fees Add New Cost Layer
Container lines are tightening capacity to defend freight rates just as new U.S. port fees on China vessels start on 14 October—costs that carriers say will be passed through to shippers. In the run-up to contracting season, the shipping alliances…
Transatlantic Sea Freight Steadies
The North Europe to US, transatlantic trade-lane, is settling into a more predictable rhythm, after a trade deal and took much of the guesswork out of export planning, while carriers have lifted reliability and held blank sailings to minimal levels. …
Blank Sailings, GRIs and a Typhoon Disrupt Asia Shipping
Shippers moving goods out of Asia are bracing for the tightest space and schedule disruptions as the major container shipping lines accelerate blank sailings in the lead-up to China’s extended Golden Week holidays. Following weeks of tentative planning, lines have…
Ex-China Airfreight: Turbulence and Transformation
For shippers moving goods by air into Europe and the US, the peak season has arrived with a complexity not seen in recent years. As flights are cancelled and rates trend sharply upward, a fundamental reshaping of the marketplace is…
US Targets Tariff Evasion
The White House has launched a revitalised Trade Fraud Task Force to clamp down on tariff evasion and customs violations. This coordinated cross-agency initiative is set to bring sharper enforcement tools and greater scrutiny to a trading environment already complicated…
EU Deforestation-Free Product Law Faces Further Delays
The EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), which defines compliance obligations for businesses trading with the European market, is facing further implementation delays. Designed to prevent the sale and export of goods linked to deforestation and forest degradation, EUDR applies…
Growth Sustained, But Reliability and Policy Risks Loom for Air Freight
Air cargo volumes surprised on the upside again in August, rising by around 5% year on year, the second consecutive month of growth at this pace. Capacity also increased by 4%, though yields came under pressure as rates softened. Despite…
Road freight prices edge higher in August
Stronger August demand lifted UK road transport prices, with both haulage and courier markets firming despite fresh capacity entering the system. The latest TEG Price Index shows overall prices rising nearly 2% month on month and sitting 2.4% above August…
Case Study
Nurturing an icon for thirty years
This 4PL client is an iconic global brand and one of the world’s leading manufacturers of equipment for construction, agriculture, waste handling and demolition.
Operating from 22 factories across Asia, Europe, North America and South America, this client has an 11,000 strong workforce and its products are sold in over 150 countries.
A dedicated Metro department support the global manufacturing sites inbound and outbound supply chains, raising documentation, managing customer deliveries and providing logistics support to 750 worldwide dealers.

