SPOTLIGHT THE WEEKLY NEWS THAT'S RADIATING AROUND OUR NETWORK

Please remember, Spotlight is an INTERNAL newsletter for the Network.

Spotlight is meant to only be shared within the network, not to customers nor vendors.

However, Radiant World Trade Service's Freight Market Update is an external newsletter with all the latest supply chain news and can be shared with everyone!

We are very proud to announce...

The 2023 High Flyers!

Congratulations to all those who have achieved Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum and Chairman's Club “High Flyer” status! Your hard work and commitment to excellence contributed directly to Radiant’s success for the 2023 fiscal year (and now onwards and upwards for an even more successful 2024)!

--via Randy Briggs, SVP International

Positive Shift in the Air Cargo Market

The latest data from WorldACD Market Data indicates an uptick in global air cargo tonnages during the second full week of September, up 4% from the previous week. Rates increased slightly by 1% compared with a week earlier. The positive market sentiment remains relatively subdued. Worldwide average rates are currently 33% below their levels this time last year, at an average of $2.31 per kilo in week 37, although they remain significantly above pre-Covid levels.

Carriers Warn Shippers of European ETS Surcharge

Starting January 1, ship operators will need to monitor and report their emissions, surrendering allowances for each ton of CO2 emitted for voyages within the European Economic Area and 50% of voyages starting or ending in European ports.

Maersk cautioned in a recent customer advisory that the costs would be “significant and will keep increasing with the phased implementation”. Hapag-Lloyd also informed its customers that the ETS will add costs for shipping companies, which will be “applied as a separate surcharge for cost recovery purposes to all applicable shipments.”

--via Mark Rowe, Chief Technology Officer

SAP TM Updates & Milestones

The Radiant Network is coming up on a new milestone: we are nearly at 700,000 shipments booked inside of SAP TM!

• We have almost 3,000 users from 1,400 customers logging into the Customer Portal to book, track and report.
• Over the past few months, we have seen an average of 30 people join our Wednesday Webinars to learn more about SAP TM or to see a process they might not be using today.
• In the last 30 days, we have had 100% up time excluding scheduled maintenance on the weekend.

We have been delivering more functionality that is not available in any of our systems:

• We've deployed additional features of Project 44
• We've rolled out an upload editor to create shipments from an Excel file
• We've implemented Amber Roads, providing no-touch automatic screening
• The International team will continue working with stations to add more Airlines to eAWB, saving stations fees from the airlines by submitting eAWB from the freight booking in SAP TM.

A few months ago, Radiant held the TM Summit here at Corporate Headquarters with a number of SMEs across the network in attendance. The result of the TM Summit was a working list of mutually agreed upon user-focused enhancements. We have began developing these features, with a few to be tested in early October and delivery towards the end of the month.

As customer demands and logistics services continue to grow, SAP TM is an environment that can help us grow along with the constant changes of our industry. If you’re ready to make a change for the better, speak with your Regional Vice President and let's get your ideas moving forward.

If you have any questions, please contact Mark Rowe.

--via Noel Howard, VP Domestic Services

Fuel Surcharge Update

To account for the escalation and volatility of fuel pricing, Radiant is currently operating with a weekly fuel surcharge update for both agents and customers. While all the surcharges are in the system, please make sure you are charging accordingly.

The surcharges effective on Monday, October 2 are as follows:

• PVR Agents (Non-California) 34.5%
• PVR Agents (California) 38.5%
• Recommended Customer 39.5%

Systems have been updated accordingly.

Potential Government Shutdown Causes Concern for Aviation Trade Sectors

Aviation and logistics officials grow concerned with lawmakers remaining undecided on government funding for 2024. While front-line workers will allow for goods to continue being flown through land and sea ports, the shortage of non-essential workers will reduce efficiency and delay travel for many. As airlines enter the busiest time of the year for the supply chain, the consequences of a government shutdown could extend beyond the immediate term as programs and activities important to businesses get halted, according to Freightwaves.

Republicans and Democrats must reach an agreement on spending bills for the fiscal year of 2024 by September 30, 2023. If negotiation continues, nearly 438 government agencies must suspend normal operations on October 1, 2023. This suspension will force non-essential federal workers into furlough, disrupting vital U.S. trade activities. While details regarding the government shutdown remain uncertain, it is important for the trade industry to prepare for impacts on trade operations throughout the United States.