Weekly Logistics Briefing Key logistics updates for the week (Week 3 of May 2024)

If a deal cannot be reached between them by May 22, rail operators and dispatchers across Canada will walk off the job. CN said it “maintains a cautious outlook” and CPKC president and CEO Keith Creel said he was a “realist” about the situation – both operators acknowledging that a deal might not be reached in time. With a May 22 deadline for Canada’s rail strike looming, Maersk has drawn up its contingency plan for North America west coast port calls, but warned of an extended recovery period, significant backlogs and knock-on effects. As a further mitigation tactic, Maersk said it would divert cargo from Centerm in Vancouver to the port of Prince Rupert, and Maersk is also “reviewing limited truck options for intra-Canada transport”.

Houthi rebels claim to be "Israeli ships" and continue to attack MSC ships. The Houthi rebels claim unconfirmed attacks on MSC Victoria in addition to MSC Gina and MSC Diego. The Panamanian-registered ship is currently heading east to India. The shipping industry speculates that the Houthi rebels are insisting on unconfirmed ship attacks to attract international attention. It is not clear why MSC is the most targeted. MSC is headquartered in Switzerland, but there are reports that Israeli investors are involved.

Due to the conversion of the operating system of CTB, the largest terminal in Hamburg Port, terminal-linked transportation is not available for 24 hours from May 12 07:00 to May 13 07:00. As a result, there will be various train cancellations, and container pick-up/drop-off by truck will only be possible with a delay on that Monday.

A dust storm accompanied by strong winds and rain affected parts of Delhi, leading to the diversion of nine flights from the Delhi airport due to adverse weather conditions. The flights were primarily diverted to Jaipur. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an advisory urging residents to stay indoors and secure windows and doors, advising against unnecessary travel. The advisory followed forecasts of potential dust storms and thunderstorms with hail in isolated areas, and squally winds reaching speeds of 60-70 kmph were also expected.

The air traffic controllers' association at Milan Airport (MXP) is scheduled to strike from 13:00 to 17:00 on May 12. Flight disruptions, including delays and cancellations, are likely to occur. As employees resume work and handle delayed flights, operations may be suspended for several hours after the strike ends.

A blaze broke out at Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport's immigration counters on a recent Thursday morning, leading to a complete halt in flight operations. The fire, which broke out early in the morning at the immigration counters, was reportedly caused by a short circuit. The rapid spread of the fire triggered a stampede among passengers, necessitating a full evacuation of the airport. Despite quick responses from the Airport Security Force and firefighters, the blaze caused extensive damage to the airport's systems.

Heavy rain started heavy rain from April 27 in Rio Grande do Sul. Floods cause damage in many places, including major areas connecting the state and Rio Grande ports. Road traffic failures such as landslides, road loss, and bridge collapse. The port of Rio Grande (BRRIG) has not announced a suspension, but processing speed is expected to slow down.

Labor unions across Argentina are scheduled to stage a 24-hour nationwide general strike on May 9. Purpose of Strike :is to protest against the administration's policies, especially the omnibus bill currently under discussion in Congress. Although the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) leads the strike, many other workers' groups are also expected to participate in the strike. Employees of Argentine Airlines (AR) and members of the Airline Pilots Association are also scheduled to participate in the strike, which is expected to cause major disruptions in flight operations at airports across Argentina. Rail, subways and bus services are also expected to suffer significant disruptions.

In Kenya, heavy rains and floods have caused deaths and migrants since March. As of March 4, 219 deaths were identified and 164 cumulative injuries were reported. A total of 41,248 households were displaced, affecting about 206,240 people. In Nakuru, more than 50 people died when the dam collapsed, and flooding in nearby areas caused severe damage. Currently, abandoned trucks and cars are flooded around Nairobi International Airport (NBO), and many people died after being swept away by rainwater. As the road section is flooded due to heavy rain, severe traffic congestion occurs on the Mombasa road. The Kenya Meteorological Agency expects the rain to continue until June.

Severe thunderstorms caused ground stops at both O'Hare and Midway International Airports. There remains a risk of strong to severe storms in the Chicago area later on Tuesday, potentially bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, and hail, with a tornado watch in effect until 8 p.m. As of early afternoon, O'Hare had canceled 72 flights and experienced average delays of about an hour.