Service Update – All Modes
There are no reports of modal disruptions at this time, with the exception of marine service to Newfoundland.
Marine
In a news release issued today, Oceanex reports that financial help requested from the Canadian government has been rejected and service, reduced last week from three sailings per week to two sailings per week, will continue. The new release can be found at the following link,
https://www.oceanex.com/oceanex-provides-government-assistance-program-update/
Supply Chain Commentaries
1) Air Canada First Commercial Flight with converted 777 Aircraft
Air Cargo Week reports that the first flight of the converted Boeing 777 arrived in Montreal on Saturday with a shipment of PPE from Shanghai. The Air Cargo Week article can be found at the following link.
https://www.aircargoweek.com/first-air-canada-converted-777c-operation/?mc_cid=fc48cfd90c&mc_eid=df51dd24fe
2) Globe and Mail Commentary on Growing Supply Chain Disruption
The Globe and Mail article from Sunday, April 19, comments on the impacts of the global economic shutdown on all freight transportation modes. The Globe and Mail article can be found at the following link.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-planes-trains-and-ships-sit-idle-as-transport-networks-grind-to-a/
3) West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Crude price goes negative.
The North American benchmark price of crude oil, WTI, for the first time in history went into negative territory today, April 20. As demand falls and locations for storage are filling up, producers at the end of the trading day were willing to pay their customers $37.63/bbl to take crude off their hands. The full article can be found at the following link.
https://mailchi.mp/pflpetroleum/pfl-petroleum-limited-market-daily-6o5n6kxygk-85189?e=93f8228289
FMA Government Relations
FMA has continuing communications with Transport Canada Surface Policy and Marine Policy officials and with Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Any issues that FMA members wish to bring to the attention of of government officials can be forwarded by FMA to the appropriate people at Transport Canada or telephone calls can be arranged with officials.
FMA Office Operations
FMA staff are primarily working from home. If you need to talk with us, please send messages to me at the email address below and leave a phone number where you can be reached.
Updates are on the FMA Website
All the COVID-19 updates that FMA has issued are now uploaded to the website and there is a link to them on the home page at www.fma-agf.ca .
The FMA updates focus on the impacts of COVID-19 on supply chains.
Information and questions from members are encouraged and will be useful in our continuing outreach to members and in our communications with the government and with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. All individual company information will be kept confidential.
