In order to provide our customers with the most current information available, the Phoenix News Summary is emailing industry news updates. Our summaries can also be read via our web site, www.phoenixintl.com, on the Industry News page.

India Airport Strike - 22,000 employees stopped work February 1st at airports across India protesting the Indian government’s decision to allow private players to modernize airports in Delhi and Mumbai. No clearances took place and no cargo was uplifted. As per the employees of the AAI, this strike could be indefinite but government officials could impose the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to prevent any disruption of air traffic.

The implementation of the EU regulation 2320/2002 on civil aviation security became effective in Germany February 1st. The main issue of this new air security law is similar to the USA “known and unknown shipper” program. Any shipment from an “unknown shipper” cannot be uplifted within a consolidation. In addition to shipments originating in Germany , problems may occur with transit-shipments via any German airport until everybody adjusts to the new regulation.

Phoenix International decreased their US domestic LTL Fuel Surcharge to 18% from 25%, effective February 2 nd. Domestic Full Truck Load and Container related fuel surcharges will remain at 25%.

Felixstowe plan approved – JOC - The British government approved plans by Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports to build a 1.5 million TEUs-a-year container terminal at Felixstowe, the country's largest box hub. The decision, which will increase annual capacity at Felixstowe to 5.2 million TEUs, will be welcomed by ocean carriers and shippers who warned the country faced an acute shortage of deep-sea container capacity if the government blocked major projects.

Airlines bump fuel surcharge – So far NWA Cargo, British Airways, KLM and Martinair have said they will raise fuel surcharges in February from 45 cents to 50 cents per kilogram.

WTSA shifts fuel fee schedule – JOC - Container shipping lines in the U.S.-Asia Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement have announced an upcoming change in the way they calculate and adjust bunker and inland fuel surcharges. Effective May 1, member lines will shift from quarterly to monthly adjusted fuel surcharges, in an effort to moderate cost impacts and make the surcharges more responsive to market conditions.

BNSF announced that effective May 1, 2006, rail free-time at Kansas City , KS , Memphis , TN will be reduced from 48 hours free to 24 hours. After free-time expires, cost is $150 per day. At Houston , TX and St. Louis , MO free-time continues at 48 hours, but storage charges will increase from $100 to $150 per day.

Our summary articles are compiled from a number of public sources that, to the best of Phoenix’s knowledge, are true and correct. In the event any information provided is erroneous, Phoenix International Freight Services, Ltd. accepts no liability or responsibility.