New laws introduced to boost ship workers’ pay in bid to close P&O Ferries loophole Minimum wage In wake of the P&O Ferries scandal, new laws have been introduced to ensure seafarers with close links to Britain are paid the national minimum wage. The move has been taken in a bid to improve working conditions on ships after P&O Ferries decision to fire 800 of its staff last year. Shipowners will now [...]
Port of Dover chief calls on Gov to share ‘rules of game’ for post-Brexit checks RULES OF THE GAME The Port of Dover has called on the government to share the “rules of the game” when it comes to post-Brexit checks. Chief executive Doug Bannister told a Commons’ transport select committee that the port has not received enough information about the EU’s entry-exit system, which will be implemented from May. Under the new system, [...]
Port of Dover chief warns post-Brexit checks will be detrimental to UK trade and travel DETRIMENT TO UK The Port of Dover’s chief executive has warned that post-Brexit biometric controls will be detrimental to the UK’s trade and travel, as they will significantly increase border delays. “If we are forced to commit to an inadequate process it will have a rapid and significant detriment on trade,” chief executive Doug Bannister said. Dover is [...]
China’s dominance over container trade risked by ‘zero Covid’ policies August 31, 2022 China’s ports have continued to dominate the container trade, according to a recent survey. Figures published today by Lloyd’s List show that 40 per cent of all twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) liftings in 2021 came from China. The country also had seven of the world’s biggest ports – including Shanghai, which won the first prize [...]
UK’s biggest container port in Felixstowe braced for eight days of strikes August 6, 2022 The UK's biggest container port in Felixstowe is set to be hit by strikes for eight days this month in a dispute over pay, after workers turned down a seven per cent pay rise.
Dock workers join industrial wave and call for strike at Felixstowe July 28, 2022 Members of the union Unite working at the port of Felixstowe have called for strike over salaries. The dock workers join the wave of industrial action which has led to what many call the “summer of discontent.” The union announced that 92 per cent of workers balloted voted in favour of walking out on an [...]
UK ports call on government to compensate them for delaying post-Brexit checks by 18 months May 5, 2022 UK ports have called on the government to compensate them for delaying post-Brexit checks by more than a year and a half. According to the ports, the government delays on checks on European animals and plants announced last week mean that the high-tech facilities built for the inspections will remain empty until the end of [...]
EU ports ask bloc for ‘clear list’ of banned Russian vessels April 13, 2022 European ports have asked Brussels for a “clear list” of Russian vessels that need to be banned following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) expressed its support for the EU’s latest round of sanctions against Russia but stressed the importance of having a clear and uniform approach to the boycott in [...]
Grant Shapps asks UK ports to deny access to Russian ships February 28, 2022 Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has written today to all UK ports asking them to deny access to any Russian-flagged and operated ships. “Given Putin’s action in Ukraine, I’ve made clear these vessels are NOT welcome here with prohibiting legislation to follow,” he said in a tweet. In a letter addressed to all UK ports, Shapps [...]
UK costs of shipping higher than mainland Europe, research reveals November 17, 2021 The cost of shipping to the UK is 24.2 per cent higher compared with mainland Europe, as a result of the supply chain crisis. Research from global trade management firm ManSys has revealed that Europe’s three most expensive ports for a 20-foot container ship are Liverpool, with a £9,112 rate, followed by Southampton and London, [...]