Latest News

A major IT outage, which is currently affecting many banks, media outlets, airlines, and even hospitals, is leading to some disruption in logistics today.

Directors Christine and Ashley Nichols were delighted and honoured to represent Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics during this past week at two special King’s Award for Enterprise receptions.

The threat of an upcoming rail strike in Canada continues to boil, as a three day walk out on the West Coast is avoided this week after being ruled unlawful.

Atlantic Pacific’s Chicago office will be honouring the Independence Day holiday in the United States and will be closed for two days this week.

Atlantic Pacific Group directors – Chrissy and Ashley Nichols – had their first opportunity to meet a ‘Waddle-on-Sea’ Penguin this week on the seafront in Southend.

A bulk cargo ship has sunk in the Red Sea, a few days after being targeted by Houthi rebels, with one crew member reportedly being killed during the attack.

After more than a year of restrictions caused by severe drought, the Panama Canal will be returning to near normal operations by the middle of July, while the same cannot be said about the Suez Canal.

The increasing threat of labour strikes in North America and Europe is being seen as a potential hurdle for ocean freight services during the next few weeks.

With the threat of an imminent rail strike in Canada, carriers have already been blanking and diverting sailings on services from Asia to the Canadian West Coast.

This year’s Multimodal gets underway this week and we’re looking forward to showcasing Atlantic Pacific from our own stand from tomorrow.

The Chinese foreign minister is reported to have met with his Yemeni counterpart in Beijing this week and subsequently called for Houthi Rebels to end their attacks on commercial shipping.

Asian ports are now suffering from a wave of port congestion, which is disrupting ocean freight schedules throughout Southeast Asia and the Far East.

A recent study by the National Audit Office (NAO) concluded that the UK’s target of having “the most effective border in the world” is still a long way from coming to fruition.

We recently reported that widespread capacity issues have returned for ocean freight services from Asia, which has now escalated further in some Chinese origin ports due to severe container shortages.

The current market conditions for ocean freight services from Asia are starting to feel like the days of the pandemic, as widespread capacity issues have returned.

Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics are absolutely thrilled to have received the much coveted King’s Award For Enterprise in the International Trade category this year.

Atlantic Pacific Group have made the 2024 version of the Growth Index list, which highlights the top 100 fastest growing companies for the year.

Atlantic Pacific Group Director – Christine Nichols – judges the 2024 ‘Everywoman Transport & Logistics Awards’ for the second year in a row.

Atlantic Pacific have received several notifications that ocean freight carriers are implementing a General Rate Increase (GRI) on Asia imports from 1st May 2024.

Following Iran’s missile attack on Israel at the weekend, air cargo services to and from the region, and the whole of Asia, have  immediately been impacted.

Middle East shipping took a turn for the worst at the weekend, when Iranian troops boarded the ‘MSC Aries’ and seized it shortly after it had left Dubai.

Christine Nichols is joined by guest speaker Graeme Souness, former Liverpool and Scottish international footballer, at the London Freight club April lunch.

After an eight day attack-free period in the Red Sea region, Houthi targeting of commercial shipping has gathered pace again in the past week.

Atlantic Pacific Director Christine Nichols finally caught up with one of the winners of Basildon Council’s Volunteer Awards last week, when she met Emma Bunce at the Billericay Food Bank.

UK government has confirmed plans to introduce a new fee for the import of animal and plant based products arriving at the port of Dover, and through the Eurotunnel at Folkestone, which applies from 30th April 2024.

Billericay Town FC Women & Girls (sponsored by Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics) beat Ashford United FC 5-0 in the Reposs Isthmian Women’s Cup Final last night.

A Baltimore bridge has been destroyed in the early hours of this morning after a containership struck one of its columns, leading to several vehicles plunging into the river.

Easter 2024 is fast approaching, which means it’s time for us to share our business hours for our global office locations.

Airlines are currently dealing with sizeable air cargo backlogs at several major airports in the Indian subcontinent, as both volumes and rates spike.

Due to continued growth and success, Atlantic Pacific Felixstowe office has now relocated to a larger suite at Orwell House.

Atlantic Pacific have just attended the second annual meeting of the Latam Partnership in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with representation from our UK and US offices.

The Red Sea crisis has continued this week with another attack on a commercial ship, resulting in the first loss of life of merchant crew members.

Atlantic Pacific Group Director – Christine Nichols – helped kickoff the BIFA Young Forwarder Network (YFN) event in Felixstowe this week, being the guest speaker at the first Anglia Region gathering for 2024.

Atlantic Pacific Group proudly continued our support of the Basildon Borough Volunteer Awards by sponsoring the 2024 Young Volunteer of the Year category at this year’s awards.

Atlantic Pacific will be attending the 2024 Latam Partnership Meeting in Sao Paulo, Brazil, next week.

It’s just over a month until the start of this year’s International Food & Drink Event (IFE2023), and we’re looking forward to showcasing Atlantic Pacific.

Houthi targeting of commercial ships in the Red Sea has continued this week, with the latest being a missile attack on a British registered cargo vessel, resulting in the crew abandoning ship.

Some steamship lines have been on the move during recent weeks, as the carrier alliance pack starts to get reshuffled ahead of next year.

Following the attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea, and the subsequent routing of ocean freight vessels around Africa, air freight has started to feel the knock-on effects.

There seems to be no immediate signs of respite for global supply chains, as attacks on container ships in the Red Sea have continued this week.

Atlantic Pacific Global Logistics were delighted to be confirmed as winners of the 2023 BIFA British Freight Service Awards in the European Logistics category yesterday.

Maersk Line and Hapag Lloyd have this week announced a new collaboration that looks to have broken the mould of the existing carrier alliance structure.

Import rules for animals and animal products from the EU will be changing from January 31st.  New import risk categories and rules will be coming in that apply to all imports from the EU and EFTA.

Christine Nichols, Lady Chairman of the London Freight Club and Atlantic Pacific Group Director, attended the Glasgow Freight Club’s Feast of the Hangover last Friday.

Ocean freight rates from Asia are moving upwards day by day since the attacks on container ships in the Red Sea area, with carriers also declaring ‘force majeure’ for shipments already enroute.

Wednesday was an emotional day for Atlantic Pacific Group Director – Christine Nichols – as it was her last event as Lady Chairman of the London Freight Club (LFC).

While it’s barely a couple of days since carriers started to reroute whole schedules around Africa, we have already seen an impact on ocean freight rates.

Following at least two more attacks on cargo ships in the Red Sea on Friday, both Maersk and CMA CGM paused all ships heading through the region over the weekend.

Trouble at the world’s two most important shipping canals is likely to be the biggest threat to supply chains for the first quarter of next year, and perhaps beyond.

Ocean freight carriers are making a big push to uplift rates, especially on Asia origins, between now and the new year, with further GRI’s recently announced.

A number of cargo ships have come under attack in Middle East shipping lanes recently, which has led to some vessels being rerouted around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope.

Herewith the Atlantic Pacific business hours for operations and customer service in the UK, Ireland, and USA, during the upcoming holiday season.

Maybe not quite as eagerly awaited as John Lewis, but an Atlantic Pacific Christmas video is now a traditional part of the festive season for us, and it’s time to share our latest version. We hope you enjoy!

Despite numerous attempts to raise rates this year, which have largely failed, General Rate Increases (GRI’s) are once more being suggested for December.

Atlantic Pacific Group Chairman Ashley Nichols, and Company Secretary Jackie Hutchinson, attended the first BIFA Sustainable Logistics Policy Group meeting in London this month.

Severe congestion in the South African ports of Cape Town and Durban has driven some carriers to start dropping calls from their schedules.

Atlantic Pacific Group Director – Christine Nichols – was delighted to give a speech to the members of BIFA’s Young Forwarders Network this week, which was followed by a Q&A session.