1. Amazon is testing unlimited delivery service for Prime members

December 11th report, Amazon stated that it is piloting a new grocery delivery service for its Prime members, marking the latest adjustment to its online supermarket services. Members of the Prime program can choose to pay $9.99 per month to receive unlimited grocery delivery from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh, provided their orders exceed $35.

Source: CNBC

2. Amazon US to increase multi-channel fulfillment fees starting from February next year

December 11th announcement from Amazon US stated that starting from February 5th, 2024, multi-channel fulfillment (MCF) fees will be increased. Overall, the average increase in multi-channel fulfillment fees on Amazon US will be 3.5%, which Amazon claims is still lower than the average increase of 5.9% announced by other carriers.

For items weighing less than 1 pound, if standard shipping is used, the multi-channel fulfillment fees will remain unchanged or slightly lower than the current fees. Amazon offers three transportation options for multi-channel fulfillment: Standard (3-5 business days), Expedited (2 business days), and Priority (next day).

Source: Amazon

3. Shopee Mexico site lowers standard channel rates

December 11th report, Shopee has lowered the standard channel shipping rates for the Mexico site, and sellers who have opened the Mexico site can enjoy this benefit by requesting price adjustments. Shopee stated that sellers who actively adjust prices can also receive a 30% commission rebate. The new pricing card can reduce cross-border logistics costs (hidden prices) by about 5%-30%, and sellers can adjust the selling prices based on the new pricing card.

Source: Shopee

4. DHL's largest hub experiences a strike

December 11th report, on December 7th local time, about 1,100 DHL workers at the processing center located at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) held a strike due to a deadlock in contract negotiations.

DHL Express has three hubs globally - in Cincinnati, USA; Leipzig, Germany; and Hong Kong, China. The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) where the strike occurred is one of them. Packages from around the world are sorted here and then loaded onto planes for delivery to various cities in North America. Similarly, packages from North America to the rest of the world are also sorted here.

DHL employs approximately 4,000 staff at the CVG processing center. DHL stated that its contingency plans include temporarily sending goods to other sites and using airlines or contractors to fill personnel gaps. Although DHL insists that the strike will not disrupt its normal services, industry experts say that the speed of package delivery will be affected.

Source: Zhimei Research Institute

5. SF Express included in the CSI A50 Index

December 11th report, China Securities Index Co., Ltd. under the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges announced the release schedule of the CSI A50 Index. The index is scheduled to be officially released on January 2, 2024. SF Express Holdings has successfully been selected for inclusion.

It is introduced that the CSI A50 Index selects the 50 stocks with the largest market values in various industries as index samples, with a relatively balanced industry distribution, providing a more comprehensive representation of the overall performance of leading listed companies in various industries.

Source: Xinhua News Agency

6. CEVA Logistics completes acquisition of 96% stake in Indian logistics giant Stellar

December 11th report, French container giant CMA CGM's subsidiary CEVA Logistics announced that it has completed the acquisition of Indian warehousing and transportation company Stellar Value Chain - CEVA has acquired 96% of the company's shares from the affiliates of private equity firm Warburg Pincus and other shareholders. Stellar also stated on its official website that it is now part of CEVA Logistics.

CEVA stated that this acquisition expands its existing business in India, allowing it to provide comprehensive supply chain services to customers in the Asia-Pacific region and other regions.

Source: Yihangyun

7. IATA forecasts 4.5% growth in air freight demand in 2024

December 11th report, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that air freight demand will increase by 4.5% next year, while rate pressures are expected to reduce industry revenue. It is forecasted that freight tonne kilometers will increase next year, based on the International Monetary Fund's prediction of 3.5% growth in global trade, while this year's air freight demand is expected to decline by 3.8%. Regionally, freight demand for African airlines is expected to increase by 1.5% next year, 3.6% for the Asia-Pacific region, 4.1% for Europe, 7.7% for Latin America, 12.3% for the Middle East, and 2.1% for North America.

Source: IATA

8. CMA CGM increases freight rates from Asia to Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa

December 11th report, CMA CGM has decided to increase various freight rates from Asia to Northern Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean. Starting from January 1st, 2024, CMA CGM will implement updated rates from all major Asian ports to the following destinations in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Additionally, the Marseille-based shipping company announced that FAK rates will be increased from all Asian ports (including Japan, Southeast Asia, and Bangladesh) to all Northern European ports (including the UK) as well as from Portugal to Finland/Estonia. The new rates will also take effect from the first day of next year.

Source: Logistics Baba