Archive for January, 2023

The latest issue of TFG’s Trade Finance Talks, ‘Sailing into 2023: Navigating the new year’, is out now!

‘Permacrisis’ was crowned word of the year by the editors of the Collins English Dictionary at the end of 2022, defined as “an extended period of instability and insecurity”. It seems an appropriate term to describe the state of global trade, finance, and supply chains as we enter 2023.

As 2023 unfolds, shippers are experiencing signs of relief from the supply chain upheaval over the past few years. U.S. container imports in December continued to close in on 2019 volumes, port delays continued to improve, the maritime capacity crunch has eased, and ocean shipping rates have approached pre-pandemic levels. 

Over the past five years, the logistics industry experienced an explosion of new market entrants. This expansion started before COVID-19 and then accelerated dramatically over the last three years. Who are these new carriers, what distinguishes them from traditional carriers, and are they right for you?

There is no question that the turbulent global economy and the unending impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have wreaked havoc on China’s supply chain. The country’s economy is taking a hit with factories being forced to shut down, resulting in a significant disruption in international commerce.

Certainty has been in short supply in the world of shipping in recent years. Shippers, manufacturers, and carriers have all had to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, from the lingering impacts of COVID to geopolitical conflicts, from stocking trends to industrial action. 

I remember reading a quote which has stuck in my mind ever since – “Sharing among an entire ecosystem of innovative partners is a crucial step for modernisation.” 

To learn more about their collaboration and the role that technology can play in the commodities industry, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Peter Johnston (PJ), senior manager digital and agtech at GrainCorp, and Sean Birrell, CTO and co-founder of Veridapt.

Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG: VIDEO | Think data, not documents: advancing MLETR in 2023

Trade sanctions are among the many tactics resorted to by the international community in order to compel a state to comply with its human rights obligation. 

To learn more about UNCITRAL and the efforts to support the regulatory environment around digital trade, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Luca Castellani.

The ICC DOCDEX is a dispute resolution procedure specifically designed for trade finance, whereby a panel of three independent and impartial experts renders a decision on a dispute arising out of a trade finance instrument or undertaking.

Your Monday morning coffee briefing from TFG: Shifting the mindset towards innovation in ports

Taking a step in this direction, the UK legislature has enacted legislation to prevent economic crime. To learn more about this essential piece of legislation in the financial and economic world, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Susan Hawley, executive director of Spotlight on Corruption.

As we move into 2023, it will be crucial for solution providers to adapt and collaborate in order to seize the opportunities presented by digitisation for game-changing value creation.