The cargo industry was one of the industries that felt the biggest impact from the pandemic. With so many countries closing borders and different restrictions put in place across the globe, the industry has gone through a number of months of uncertainty. Many have taken this in their stride, and have continually kept up to date with changes, meaning that they were able to more efficiently continue their work of keeping supply chains moving.
With countries at various stages of coming out of lockdown and becoming accustomed to their ‘new normal’, many industries are looking to what the coming months and years will bring in a post-pandemic world. So, what’s next for the cargo industry?
Adapting to post COVID-19 freight forwarding
Despite restrictions for cargo, demand is still very much there for these services. With online delivery seeing an exceptional spike over the past three months, we don’t expect this to return to ‘normal’ levels any time soon. Short, mid and long-term plans will soon be put in place for freight forwarders on how they will navigate the next weeks, months and years as the economy recovers.
This could include changing flight plans to account for restrictions in countries, quarantine considerations for staff, adjusting existing processes to comply with temporary customs procedures, to name just a few.
Environmental factors
The industry has been tackling its carbon footprint for many years now, with a number of strategies in place to reduce this in the coming years.
Countless research projects are underway to find viable alternative fuels for sea and road freight forwarders, alongside adjustments to driving and sailing to ensure this is carried out in a more environmentally friendly way, as well as data sharing within the industry to collectively reach a more carbon friendly future.
For the aviation industry, plans are now underway to offset emissions caused by air freight and air travel. Numerous activities are to improve its carbon footprint, including a large-scale project that will see trees planted to soak up the CO2 released from flights.
Here at Grace Overseas we are very proud to say that our team took the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in their stride, and have been expertly supporting our clients with their freight forwarding requirements. Find out more about the services we provide here.