Service Update – All Modes

There are no reports today of service disruptions in any of the modes.

Supply Chain Commentaries

1) AAR: Canadian Rail Traffic Week Ending April 18 (Week 16)

The shutdown of the global economy due to COVIS-19 continues to impact North American rail traffic, as noted in the AAR report for the week ending April 18. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America, (Canada, United States and Mexico) for the week ending April 18, compared to the same week last year, was down 20%. North American rail volume for the first 16 weeks of 2020 was down 8.4% compared with 2019.

Canadian railways reported 72,049 carloads for the week, down 13.5%, and 65,088 intermodal units, down 7.9% compared with the same week in 2019. For the first 16 weeks of 2020, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 2,253,268 carloads, containers and trailers, down 4.7%. The Canadian statistics can be found at the first red bar below.

2) More “Blanked” Container Sailings – American Shipper

American Shipper is reporting on the number of cancelled sailings from Asia to Europe and North America due to the the decline in imports from Asia. The article provides information on the “blanked” sailings by each of the three main container line alliances: 2M, THE, and OCEAN. The American Shipper report can be found at the second red bar below.

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 FMA members and in our communications with the government and with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. All individual company information will be kept confidential.