Market Updates & BLOG
Logistics Market Update 10.11.2023
AIR FREIGHT As the year winds close, global airfreight trends suggest a promising horizon for carriers. Indicators hint not just at the stabilization of rates but a slight upward nudge in specific trade routes. Despite the absence of explicit signs pointing to a...
“Outsourcing warehouse to a 3PL partner” by Jussi Laaksonen
I have had the privilege to join couple of recent projects in Wiima, where we have consulted our customers in outsourcing warehousing. In this article I want to share my experiences, the pros and cons of outsourcing and a few tips for selecting the third party...
Transforming Supply Chain: The Advantage of 4PL Over 3PL
Third-party logistics (3PL) and fourth-party logistics (4PL) play critical roles in today's complex global logistics. While 3PLs concentrate on specific supply chain elements, such as transportation or warehousing only. 4PLs have a strategic approach to managing and...
Logistics Market Update 05.10.2023
AIR FREIGHT Airfreight has been exhibiting a series of contrasting trends, reflecting the unstable dynamics of the sector. At the beginning of September, rates had experienced a downturn, reaching their lowest since the inception of the pandemic. Data from multiple...
Logistics Market Update 07.09.2023
AIR FREIGHT Air cargo activity at major European hubs hasn't yet bounced back to pre-pandemic figures, suggesting the market is either stagnant or gradually recovering. Last month, Europe's leading air cargo hub saw a modest rise of 2.3% from the previous year,...
Material & Information Flow Management: Why Choose 4PL?
When the companies are built, they are built around a great product idea. But when moving those products around and sending them to market, companies realize there is a big challenge in managing global logistics. Much of the organization's resources, time, and effort...
Project Control Tower: Streamlining Project-Based Supply Chain Management
As businesses continue to expand globally, the complexities of managing project-based supply chains have risen dramatically. Each project often involves a unique web of interconnected operations, making it increasingly challenging to maintain efficiency, risk...
Logistics Market Update 08.08.2023
AIR FREIGHT Air Cargo continues to navigate a challenging landscape with soft demand, capacity increases, and ongoing downward pressure on rates. The recurring trends will persist through Q3 across all markets and lanes and currently show no signs of notable demand...
Logistics Market Update 31.07.2023
AIR FREIGHT Air cargo rates have shown a slight increase, indicating a slight tightening in the air cargo market, according to reports from indices and forwarders. Last week, the Baltic Air Freight Index increased by 1%, breaking a streak of weekly declines. In...
Sustainability in Logistics: How 4PLs Lead the Way
In light of the global issue of climate change, achieving sustainability in every industry has become increasingly important. Logistics is one sector that has the potential to make a significant contribution towards this goal. Specifically, the Fourth Party Logistics...
Logistics Market Update 16.06.2023
AIR FREIGHT As we transition into the summer months, the air freight sector continues to navigate intriguing market dynamics. From a period of high demand and soaring prices, the landscape is shifting towards softening demand and swelling capacity, decreasing air...
Logistics Market Update 26.05.2023
AIR FREIGHT In the first quarter of the year, transport and logistics capacity demand was low, while retail trade dropped 12 points below expectations. This has left the air freight markets in a fragile state. However, there is hope for air cargo as interest rates...
Logistics Market Update 14.04.2023
AIR FREIGHT Airfreight prices have been on a steep decline from the Covid-era peaks, but in March, they finally reached a bottom. In March, the air cargo market improved after a prolonged slump caused by the pandemic. Manufacturing exports and a slight improvement in...
Basics of Procument Flow and Inventory Levels Optimization
Effective procurement and warehouse inventory management are critical for the success of any business. By ensuring that the right amount of inventory is available at the right time, businesses can reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction. Here are some best...
Experienced Executive Jussi Laaksonen Joins Wiima Logistics Team
We are thrilled to announce that Jussi Laaksonen has joined Wiima Logistics as a Key Account Manager. Jussi brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in sourcing, procurement, supply chain management and logistics. Jussi has held senior management positions...
Wiima Logistics Opens New Office in Poland
We are delighted to announce the opening of a new office for Wiima Logistics in Poznań, Poland. This is part of our long-term strategy to provide comprehensive logistics services to our customers in the region and surrounding countries. We are confident that this new...
10 ways to Make Your Logistics Operations More Efficient and Sustainable
Here Is a List of 10 Steps Companies Can Take To Reduce Emissions From Their Logistics Operations: 1. Utilize green logistics operators: Consider utilizing green logistics operators that are dedicated to reducing emissions. 2. Optimize load capacity: Optimize the load...
Logistics Market Update 7.12.2022
AIR FREIGHT While air freight is not exclusively focused on consumer industries, its position in upstream electronics, for example, is more prominent than in consumer electronics. The United States is primarily driven by D2C e-commerce, which started to plunge in the...
Logistics Market Update 8.11.2022
AIR FREIGHT In October, the air freight sector continued to reverse 18 months of record increases as the global economy slowed and consumers tightened their budgets. There are no indications of improving cargo traffic even as the industry is well into its annual peak...
Logistics Market Update 12.10.2022
SEA FREIGHT In 2021 and 2022, the container industry achieved its two most profitable years. On cue, owners ordered a record number of new container ships. Even as freight rates decline, they continue to place more orders. Despite the worsening supply-demand...
Logistics Market Update 07.09.2022
SEA FREIGHT The ports of Shanghai, Ningbo, and Busan have been closed due to Typhoon Hinnamor, severely impacting shipping schedules from Asia. Shanghai Pudong Airport likewise canceled most flights, with normal operations scheduled to resume on Wednesday, 7th...
Logistics Market Update 10.08.2022
SEA FREIGHT The capacity between Asia and the United States West Coast decreased but remained the most important commercial route. In the three months leading up to July 24, the average capacity between Asia and the United States East Coast increased by 18.9%...
Logistics Market Update 08.07.2022
SEA FREIGHT Several carriers have canceled or postponed their sailings from Shanghai to the US in the last week of June. But the backlog of containerships created during the lockdown period is under control and is being cleared methodically. There was less congestion...
Logistics Market Update 14.6.2022
SEA FREIGHT Shippers are anticipated to continue to face rising supply chain costs due to port congestion and poor schedule reliability, despite a mixed demand picture on the world's most significant container shipping lanes. It is a mixed bag of demand for Asia-North...
Logistics Market Update 7.4.2022
SEA FREIGHT Lockdowns in China, the war in Ukraine, and the rising inflation are a toxic mix of uncertainty for sea liners. While container spot prices are currently falling, they are still in line with regular seasonal declines, and ocean carriers have successfully...
Logistics Market Update 13.01.2022
SEA FREIGHT Shipping companies globally expect steeper rises in shipping and logistics contract rates next year after supply-chain costs skyrocketed in 2021. The Logistics Managers' Index, which analyses total logistics pricing such as transportation, warehousing, and...
Logistics Market Update 10.12.2021
SEA FREIGHT Shipping companies are knocking on shippers' doors, offering reduced rates for December itineraries from China to Europe, as orders begin to slow down. Nevertheless, there is no indication of a price crash, and prices are likely to pick up steam in January...
Logistics Market Update 01.11.2021
SEA FREIGHT In October, there was an expectation of slight softening of container spot rates from Asia to the US and Europe, but shippers appear to have held their nerves and managed to avoid any significant discounting following China's Golden Week holiday. As per...
Logistics Market Update 01.10.2021
The global shipping industry is still struggling. Supply chains are driven to their limits as logistics operators try to keep the freight flowing. The current fragile nature of the global supply chains can cause even minor operational issues, such as minor accidents...
Logistics Market Update 25.08.2021
Challenging times persist in the shipping industry. Covid-19 breakouts in Asian harbours have caused congestions which ripple effects are still to unravel fully. The supply and demand imbalance in almost all international freight modes keeps causing grey hairs to the...
Logistics Market Update 2.7.2021
The logistics industry has been facing an era of unprecedented disruptions. The effects of large scale disruptions can be seen in all freight modes across the globe. No immediate relief can be seen in the near future, which makes the situation even worse to bear....
Logistics Market Update 7.5.2021
Suez Canal incidents ripple effects are still affecting the global supply chains. Sea and air freight are suffering from severe supply & demand-imbalance. The overall turbulent freight market is probably going to continue for some time.SEA FREIGHT The Asian...
Logistics Market Update 1.3.2021
SEA FREIGHT FROM CHINA TO EUROPE IS STILL CAUSING HEADACHES TO THE SHIPPERS. AIR AND RAIL FREIGHT CONGESTIONS CONTINUES.SEA FREIGHT With no sign of a spot rate decline after the start of the Chinese New Year last week, shippers who waited, expecting rate reduction...
Logistics Market Update 29.01.2021
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL? FIRST SIGNS OF RELIEF AT SIGHT AS THE CHINA - EUROPE TRAFFIC REACHES RATE TIPPING POINT. NEVERTHELESS, THE UPCOMING CHINESE NEW YEAR HAS POTENTIAL TO CONTINUE DISRUPT SHIPMENTS.SEA FREIGHT As more trade lanes started to...
Thoughts About Working Remotely
Vuoden 2020 alussa monen arki muuttui päälaelleen valtakunnallisen etätyösuosituksen ja muiden rajoitusten myötä. Muutos oli suuri entiseen normaaliin ja monet organisaatiot ovat joutuneet adaptoitumaan digitalisaatioon nopeallakin aikataululla....
Logistics Market Update 21.12.2020
THE STRETCH CONTINUES. THE CRITICALITY OF THE SITUATION RAISED DUE TO COVID IMPACT, CONTINUES WITHIN THE GLOBAL OCEAN, AIR AND RAILFREIGHT MARKET, WITH NO IMMINENT SOLUTION OF STABILIZATION INSIGHT.SEA FREIGHT Ocean price levels have continued to escalate as a...
GERMANY TO RAISE ROAD TOLLS
The German Bundestag has decided to raise road tolls in Germany. The new regulations will be enforced from 1.1.2019 on. The new method of calculating the toll will take into account new parameters, such as noise and emissions. According to the council of minister, the...
PORT OF ROTTERDAM TO EXPAND BREAKBULK OPERATIONS
Port of Rotterdam together with local breakbulk companies have decided to renovate port infrastructure to make room for growing breakbulk operations. The site to be developed is a 12 ha industrial estate and over 1 km of dockage located in Rotterdam's Waalhaven area....
FMC INTRODUCES STANDARDIZED RULES FOR DETENTION AND DEMURRAGE PRACTICES ACROSS US
After eight months of vigorous investigation US shipping regulatory body "the Federal Maritime Commision (FMC)" has decided to introduce revised rules for container detention and demurrage practices across the country. Investigation reports main conclusion was that...