Container lines are restoring services through the Red Sea and Suez Canal, promising shorter Asia–Europe transits and more effective capacity. But the security picture around the Middle East’s critical shipping chokepoints is becoming more complicated, not less. More Asia–Europe services…

Air cargo’s traditional summer slowdown has failed to significantly loosen the market, with resilient demand, constrained capacity and renewed growth on key ex-Asia lanes keeping pressure on space and pricing as autumn begins. Global air cargo volumes were 6% higher…

UK haulage is entering a period in which access to the right vehicle, route and transport option could become increasingly important. For shippers, that makes planning and flexibility just as important as the rate agreed for an individual movement. More…

The EU is reducing some sustainability and due-diligence obligations, but that does not necessarily mean businesses will need less supply-chain information. For shippers, the capabilities of their logistics partners could become increasingly important. For years, businesses have been preparing for…

Air freight enters the traditional peak-season build-up with a finely balanced market, as capacity reductions and resilient pricing create the potential for rapid tightening when Asian export demand accelerates. The usual late-September surge may still be several weeks away, but…

UK businesses sourcing from India face rising logistics costs before and after production, as more expensive Asian imports combine with tight westbound capacity and strong India–Europe demand. India continues to strengthen its position as a manufacturing and sourcing alternative for…

The global airfreight market is becoming increasingly difficult to predict through headline averages. While worldwide volumes remain above last year’s levels, conditions are diverging sharply between individual origins and trade lanes as de-minimis regulation, technology demand, weather disruption and capacity…

Container shipping through the Red Sea and Suez Canal is gradually increasing as major carriers test a return to the shorter Asia–Europe route, potentially signalling an important change for global supply chains. But this is far from a return to…

US importers face another period of significant trade policy change as the Trump administration expands its use of tariffs across countries, commodities and industries. The immediate challenge is understanding which measures apply and how they interact. The wider issue is…

Metro’s Q3/26 Peak Season Survey suggests businesses are entering the second half of the year with growing confidence, despite ongoing uncertainty across global supply chains. While current shipping volumes remain mixed, the outlook for the next three months is positive….

For years, weather disruption was largely viewed as an operational inconvenience. A storm might delay a vessel, flooding could close a road for a day or two, or high winds might temporarily suspend port operations. That is no longer the…

Metro’s latest employee engagement survey has delivered our strongest results yet, with colleagues reporting significant improvements across every key area measured. With a 74% response rate across our UK, India and US operations, the survey provides a valuable snapshot of…

The pound has been strengthening against the US dollar, improving sterling buying power for many UK businesses purchasing goods and services priced in dollars. For importers, that’s welcome news. A stronger pound can reduce the sterling cost of overseas purchases,…

Commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea is facing renewed disruption with 14 Iranian attacks on vessels since June 25th, the breakdown of the US-Iran ceasefire and a Houthi threat to target Saudi-linked shipping in the Bab…

Importing into the United States is becoming significantly more complex as federal agencies introduce new compliance requirements that place greater responsibility on importers to prove the accuracy, legitimacy and traceability of every shipment. President Trump’s Executive Order on ‘Strengthening Customs…

Global air freight markets continue to outperform expectations, but the balance between supply and demand remains fragile.  What began as a short-term disruption following renewed conflict in the Middle East has evolved into a more structural capacity challenge, keeping rates…

The UK’s trade agenda continues to gather momentum, creating new opportunities for businesses trading internationally, while reshaping the way they access global markets.  The most recent agreements with major trading partners across Asia-Pacific, the Gulf, North America and Europe have…

For much of the recent past, freight markets have lurched from one disruption to another. Pandemic recovery, conflict in the Red Sea, tariff uncertainty and conflict in the Middle East have each triggered periods of higher freight rates before conditions…

On 1 July, the revised International Air Transport Association (IATA) Direct Air Waybill (DAWB) framework came into force, fundamentally changing the contractual relationship between airlines and freight forwarders.  IATA’s revised DAWB framework has prompted an unusually strong reaction from freight…

Container shipping is once again under pressure from widespread port congestion, but headline delay figures are only telling part of the story. Across major global hubs, vessel queues are building, schedules are slipping, and reliability is deteriorating. Yet at the…

Peak season arrived earlier than expected this year, but it shows little sign of easing. Ocean freight rates from Asia to Europe continue to climb as strong demand, disciplined capacity management and lingering geopolitical uncertainty combine to keep pressure on…