These are exceptional times; the impact of the coronavirus is increasing day by day. The measures taken by the government are far-reaching but necessa...

The impact of the coronavirus is clear. It is a fact for many companies that will lead to a reduction in turnover due to the economic setback. The export of products is also lagging, partly due to the shortage of reefers. Logistics activities have long been halted in China, leaving reefers loaded on the harbour docks. As a result, there are far fewer empty reefers available for export from the Netherlands. Although production in China is now restarting, the shortage of reefers will continue to exist for the time being. It is estimated that currently, approximately 13% of the total number of reefers worldwide is moored in Chinese ports. Even cargo ships are full because there was no place to put the containers.

Today is the International Polar Bear Day. This has been organised annually since 2011 on 27 February to draw attention to the habitat of the polar bear. It is of vital importance to become aware of the impact that global warming and sea ice has on polar bears. For that reason, attention is requested to find ways that could reduce CO2 emissions.

For many a day to celebrate love, give each other gifts, cards and flowers, for some, it’s a real commercial thing. No matter how we think about this day, 14 February is worldwide known as Valentine’s day.  This is one of the most import days in the flower industry. The weeks before Valentine’s day are hectic days at the flower auction, because during these weeks there will be sold twice as many flowers than in an average week. The role of the Netherlands in flower export is enormous, especially at days like these, so where does that leave us? 

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is China’s most important holiday and this year it takes place on January 25. Everything is standing still around this date, and for that reason, this will cause the necessary production and transport problems.

National Tulip Day is on January 18. Not surprisingly, this flower has been given its own day, because like mills and clogs, tulips are inextricably linked to the Netherlands. These beautiful spring flowers, found on many bulb fields in our little country, are in the top 10 of Dutch export products; almost 2.5 billion tulip bulbs are exported abroad every year. But not without a struggle. Because how do we ensure that our tulips end up in the vase of good quality anywhere in the world?

From January 2020 the new Incoterms are in force. We have listed the most important changes for you and made them visual. Do you prefer to download the overview? That is possible through this link. 

We know that climate conditions in a sea container have a major impact on cargo during the transport of goods. Moisture problems, in particular, can lead to damage and therefore rejected loads. It is therefore important that those involved have sufficient knowledge of the risks when it comes to temperature and moisture. The decision to transport certain goods by standard sea container is determined by three important factors:

• External conditions (temperature, humidity, sun, rain, wind)
• Load (moisture content, temperature)
• Type of container (open/closed, ventilation/no ventilation, insulated/not insulated)

Before you can enjoy a good glass of wine, a lot of work has already been done. The production of wine in the vineyards in France or Argentine, for example, the transport with the various links in it, the sale to the company or consumer. Before the glass can be filled, we can state that the bottle has already had a long trip, with all the associated risks. Breakage, temperature and moisture are common risks in wine transportation. 

Sustainability is the necessary trend now. Innumerable initiatieves have been launched with the aim of creating a more sustainable world. Throwing away less food, recycling, living without natural gas, solar panels… We are all becoming more and more aware of the impact of our actions on the climate. Companies are also increasingly committed to reducing waste, and we regard that as a very positive development. Yet it seems to be a challenge to tackle waste chain-wide. Sustainability goes further than just its own link.