News / Shippers' capacity concerns as optimistic UK joins Trans-Pacific trade bloc

© Bakhtiar Zein

Supply chain leaders have greeted the UK’s admission to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with muted applause.

British prime minister Rishi Sunak announced today that the country had joined the 11-party trade bloc, claiming it would boost the bloc’s total GDP to £11trn.

However, director of the Global Shippers Forum James Hookham downplayed its benefit to UK trade. He told The Loadstar: “Trade negotiations need to think about the physical movement of the goods as well as the non-tariff ...