The Monday Freight Brief

Good morning,

Ocean rates have eased again, but this week’s bigger question is whether freight plans still match the orders and suppliers behind them.

Retailers are reporting weaker ordering, INEOS has announced a production pause in Hull, and new restrictions affect certain meat imports. There is also an October platform change for businesses using the Trader Support Service.

Here’s what matters.

🚢 Ocean: Asia-Europe spot rates fell again, with more blank sailings announced.

🏭 Supply chains: Retail ordering weakened and INEOS announced plans to mothball its Hull acetyls plants.

📋 Border watch: Namibia meat restrictions and an October TSS switchover need attention.

The CBI’s 24 September survey recorded a balance of -62% for supplier orders, compared with -29% in August, marking the weakest reading since the series began in 1983.

The question measures orders against a year earlier. These figures are survey balances, not a 62% fall in the quantity of goods ordered. Motor traders also reported a faster annual decline in sales.

Why it matters

Import plans based on an expected seasonal uplift deserve another look against confirmed purchase orders.

Smaller or rescheduled purchases could change the most suitable shipment size, departure date and stockholding plan. The useful conversation is whether individual customers are changing their orders, rather than assuming every business follows the survey.

Source: CBI, 24 September

Drewry’s 24 September assessment showed further falls on Asia-Europe routes:

Drewry reported seven Asia-Europe blank sailings announced for the following week, compared with three for the assessment week. It also noted increased Suez Canal transits, adding effective capacity, and expected rates to continue declining.

Why it matters

Lower benchmarks provide a useful reference when reviewing October offers, but the sailing offered still matters.

Check the departure, arrival date, free time and inland costs alongside the ocean price, particularly where stock availability or production depends on a specific delivery.

These are port-to-port market benchmarks, not complete UK delivery quotations.

Source: Drewry, 24 September

Asian Aviation’s 28 September report, citing WorldACD, puts Asia Pacific to Europe spot rates at $4.72/kg for 14–20 September, up 2% week on week.

This is a regional benchmark reported by the trade press, rather than a live UK quotation.

Why it matters

For urgent components, healthcare products and other time-sensitive cargo, the actual routing and handling requirements determine whether an offer works.

Confirm uplift and the required delivery date before comparing prices. A market average cannot establish availability on a particular flight.

Source: Asian Aviation reporting WorldACD, 28 September

INEOS announced that it would mothball all three Hull acetyls units until further notice. At the time of its announcement, two had stopped production and the third was due offline within days.

The plants produce chemical inputs used across industries including pharmaceuticals, food products, clothing and construction.

Why it matters

Affected buyers may need to review supplier continuity, approved alternatives and stock cover.

A change in supply origin can alter transit times, shipment sizes and transport requirements. The announcement does not establish a medicines shortage or confirmed replacement import volumes.

Source: INEOS announcement

Vertical Aerospace has announced a new assembly centre at Cotswold Airport for certification aircraft and early production of its Valo electric aircraft.

The company expects assembly of its first certification aircraft to begin in Q4 2027, with certification targeted for 2029. These remain company targets.

Why it matters

For aerospace suppliers, development-stage deliveries can involve components, tooling and test equipment well before regular production begins.

The facility is a useful programme to follow, with freight requirements dependent on supplier appointments and confirmed build schedules.

Source: Vertical Aerospace announcement

Great Britain suspended specified fresh meat imports from Namibia from 25 September, following a foot and mouth disease outbreak confirmed on 23 September.

The restrictions cover fresh bovine, ovine and caprine meat, plus fresh meat from farmed and wild non-domestic ruminants. They apply to England, Scotland and Wales.

Why it matters

Affected food importers should confirm commodity eligibility before dispatch. For goods already moving, establish the position with the relevant authority and customs or veterinary specialists.

The restriction is commodity-specific and should not be treated as a ban on all Namibian food products.

Source: Defra/APHA, updated 25 September

HMRC’s 22 September notice says existing Trader Support Service users will receive pre-enrolment instructions from 1 October.

For businesses using TSS, movements taking place on or after 20 October must be submitted through the new platform. The existing system will stop accepting new movements from that date.

HMRC says the underlying customs processes and legal obligations remain unchanged.

Why it matters

Businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland should identify who owns the switch, check account details and permissions, and use the available test environment.

Getting access sorted before the first live declaration should help avoid an unnecessary delay.

Source: HMRC, 22 September

Commercial implications are analysis. Market indicators are not freight quotations or guarantees of availability.

What stood out this week was how quickly a buying decision can become a transport decision.

Fewer orders, a different supplier or a restricted product can change the shipment plan before anyone starts comparing rates.

It is a useful moment to check that the next booking still fits what the business actually needs.

I’ve put together practical templates covering prospecting, call planning and freight terminology.

You can find them in my Etsy shop: BDMToolkit.

If you found this brief useful, please forward it to a colleague.

Subscribe to The Monday Freight Brief

Jack Fitzmaurice
Founder, The Monday Freight Brief
[email protected]

The views expressed are my own and do not represent my employer. This publication uses publicly available information for general industry insight and should not be treated as legal, regulatory or financial advice.