supply chain management

High-interest rates and elevated inflation are pressing suppliers to reduce their cash-conversion cycles

While a growing portion of the industry starts to seize the opportunities of measuring and managing emissions, many commodity traders still hesitate. Why undertake the complex process of carbon accounting, if it’s hard, if it’s not a legal requirement, and if it only draws attention to their high-carbon products rather than their competitors? 

News on the invasion of Ukraine, inflation and recession have swept into all offices, living rooms and public spaces in the past year. In other words: Macroeconomic considerations have prevailed, and we have all had to adapt to a new reality – not least in my work with sustainable finance.

At the forum, Trade Finance Global (TFG) spoke with Pamela Coke-Hamilton, the Executive Director of the International Trade Centre (ITC), to explore the impact of crises, capacity building, and support for women-led businesses and youth in trade.

One of the difficulties related to international trade is the large volume of paper documents that make up much of the information flow between the different parties, including various documents such as invoices, bills of lading, certificates of origin, and customs declarations. 

To successfully digitalise Bills of Lading, the three necessary foundations are law, standards and technology. Without their proper application, any eBL SaaS platform, notwithstanding the attractiveness of the business model, is unstable.

Fast fashion brands are looking at technology to help improve supply chain sustainability and meet their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) targets.

For many SMEs, the financing gap is always a major concern. It is reported that financing shortages count for more than half of SMEs’ problems. This issue is important for national policymakers, and financiers, as SMEs are major drivers of economic growth, employment, and social development in all economies, but especially in developing countries.

The Court of Appeal in England has decided in MUR Shipping BV v. RTI Ltd [2022] EWCA Civ 1406 (27 October 2022) that sometimes a party must accept payment in Euros, even though the contract expressly stipulated payment to be made in US Dollars. Although the case is not about independent undertakings, DCW readers might ask if the decision could have implications for letters of credit and demand guarantees.

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. 

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. 

Large national infrastructure projects have rarely been delivered at the pace of the UK Freeport programme; in March 2020, the government launched its consultation document, and in March 2021 it was announced that, subject to completing the necessary authorisation processes, the above eight locations would become Freeports.

The arguments for digitalising trade processes are well known. Paper-based processes are inefficient, error-prone, and subject to frequent delays––particularly in times of disruption. 

Your Monday coffee briefing from TFG – PODCAST | Float or sink: BIMCO discusses eBL adoption, standards, interoperability

Given the complexity of maritime transport, Annie Kovacevic sat down with Grant Hunter, director of standards, innovation, and research at BIMCO, to learn more about hot topics in the industry.