The joy of receiving multiple unsolicited offers from Chinese forwarders never ends: particularly when you are cc-ed into negotiations, proving that the race to the bottom continues apace. “All right, dear. It’s a deal. This time, it’s to show my sincerity…The price I’ve offered you is already quite competitive. I’m covering the cost of $100 for each item. I hope you can continue to collaborate with me in the future.”
But our favourite comes not from an obscure forwarder in Shenzhen, but the world’s second-largest shipping line, advertising some of the lowest Europe-Asia backhaul rates we’ve ever seen: $15 for a 40ft from London Gateway to Shanghai. Bargain! We are now frantically wondering what we can send to Shanghai…
In the seemingly endless machinations in the world of TMS, we have discovered perhaps the best work:life balance out there – a customs compliance job in New Zealand where, we understand, the annual holiday allocation is measured in months rather than weeks or days. Nice work (!) if you can get it.
The Loadstar hugely enjoyed this year’s BIFA annual Freight Service Awards, from what it can remember – here’s a full list of the winners and runners-up. The fact that it is held in a place called The Brewery tells its own story. Celebrity host Steve Backshall, a big brick of man with a surprisingly high-pitched voice, was all smiles and handshakes, and yet starkly illuminated the generational divides in the industry – while many Bifa members who are, shall we say, “more advanced in their career paths”, had little idea who he was, he is a hero to anyone aged 30 or under who grew up watching him on CBBC being bitten by scary looking insects. A ‘favourites’ reel of his most painful episodes went down a storm. Bunch a sadists, the lot of you!
BIFA winners
One subject often covered in January, alongside an enormous number of job moves, is the ‘top employer’ surveys. DHL has already posted that it “continues to set benchmarks in human resources excellence”. But we hear that one major forwarder currently undergoing restructuring does an internal staff survey, said to be anonymous. But sources suggest that, in fact, everyone knows who wrote what, limiting its usefulness – especially as the axe continues to be wielded…
It is 25 years ago this week that Michael Chowdry, founder of Atlas Air, died in a plane crash. He started an aircraft leasing company in 1984, opening Atlas in 1992. There is some nice commentary about this true entrepreneur and his impact on air cargo, on LinkedIn here.
Another, rather less sad, milestone passed last week after CMA CGM announced it had taken the delivery of its 400th owned vessel. The 16,024 teu CMA CGM Monte Christo is the first in a series of six new methanol-powered vessels and is set to join the Phoenician Express BEX2 service between North Asia and the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, when it departs China later this week. The delivery underlined again how the industry has been shaped by a handful of men – and yes, it is almost entirely men – with quite extraordinary vision. CMA CGM was founded by Jacques Saade way back in 1978, with “four staff members, one ship and just one shipping route between Beirut, Latakia, Livorno, and Marseille”. Around the same time, of course, a similar story was unfolding at MSC; while the reverence with which Maersk McKinney-Moller continues to be held shows he had a similar impact on his staff… It does end there of course, many Asian carriers also boast inspirational founders, but is also an era that is coming to an end. What and who will emerge in shipping’s next 50 years is well beyond our scope.
Check out today’s podcast!
Comment on this article