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EC parcel tax bid for 'level playing field' creates bumpy ride for air cargo flows

The EU's introduction of a €3 customs duty on low-value ecommerce imports has triggered significant disruption to air cargo networks, as carriers and shippers adjust to the varying implementation practices across member states. The temporary duty, which came into force on 1 July, replaces the long-standing exemption for consignments valued up to €150. The EC says the measure is designed "to create a level playing field, improve product safety, and modernise customs procedures", ahead of the launch of the EU Customs Data Hub in 2028. However, industry sources say the differing approaches by national customs authorities are already distorting cargo flows. One source told The Loadstar: "The replacement of de minimis customs charges and replacement with a €3 package charge is causing huge disruptions to the air cargo business in Europe. "Some EU countries are requiring Chinese exporters to deposit €1m in advance and then pay as they go. Others are charging as the flight arrives and this is causing some business to shift to the countries with lower thresholds. "Italy seems to be one of the most relaxed EU entry points, and that is causing flights that previously went to Central European airports to shift southwards. This is destabilising eastbound flights, which is impacting our business." The source added that airports in Belgium, Germany and France were likely to be hardest hit. Indeed, Fabrice Pauquet, MD of Vatry Airport, told The Loadstar: "Normally, all EU countries should play the same game, but it seems like some are playing differently on the amount of money to put on the table for the tax." Mr Pauquet noted that Italy "seems to be a little bit more flexible", in that entry to the country doesn't require €1m per flight as a guarantee, adding: "France is still requiring a lot of money before providing customs clearance... So, we are still struggling to get the flights back." And an Aevean analysis indicates that the disruption extends beyond just anecdotal evidence. Maarten Wormer, head of consulting at Aevean, told The Loadstar several countries that introduced national parcel fees before the EU-wide measure had already seen traffic diverted. France's ecommerce imports fell between 30% and 55% year on year from March to May after the country introduced a €2 fee per parcel, while neighbours Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands, all with no fee, recorded growth. Since the EU-wide duty took effect, direct freighter capacity into Europe from Asia-Pacific and the Middle East has fallen for three consecutive weeks. Compared with the final week before implementation, week 29, capacity was down 16%, with Budapest recording the steepest decline (-51%), followed by Luxembourg (-23%), Milan Malpensa (-23%), and Amsterdam (-21%). Paris Charles de Gaulle was the only major hub to post growth (+14%), suggesting the bloc-wide regime has eased some of the competitive disadvantage France previously faced. The EC maintains the €3 charge is imposed on businesses, rather than consumers, and is intended to replace "an outdated exemption that allowed billions of low-value imports to enter the EU duty-free each year". It added that mandatory product identifiers would follow in November to strengthen traceability and safety checks. One stakeholder noted the scale of the measure and told The Loadstar: "It's a hell of a lot of money compared with the fact we were getting nothing before." However, Ahmed El-Alfy, global business development director at GN TEQ, said the measure was "rebalancing away from millions of direct parcels towards consolidated, warehouse-fed flows", rather than a collapse of European imports.

US Treasury sanctions six vessels of struggling SeaLead

Singapore-based SeaLead has seen its ability to deploy capacity further hobbled by the US Treasury Department's decision to sanction six more vessels over accusations that they are being used to support Tehran-linked interests. As reported by The Loadstar in April, the US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit claiming SeaLead provided shipping services to interests controlled by Iranian official Ali Shamkhani and was seeking to seize some $2.4m related to the funding of an illicit Iranian oil network. Treasury upped the ante by adding SeaLead - including its subsidiaries - and several of its vessels, all told offering some 10,500 teu, to its Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list over claims it has been shipping cargoes to support the Houthis. While this latest intervention marks the first time that SeaLead and its vessels have been directly sanctioned by a US government entity, it comes at a time in which the operator has been struggling to keep things moving. "As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of US persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC," the Treasury said in a statement. "In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, or 50% or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. "Unless authorized by OFAC, or exempt, OFAC's regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons," it added. In July 2025, the DoJ forced SeaLead to redeliver 16 sanctioned vessels, with the operator having since been made to redeliver more chartered ships, causing its fleet size to plunge from 208,000 teu in May 2025 to less than 70,000 before this latest action was announced. Responding to SeaLead's misfortune, China United Lines (CU Lines) capitalised by taking over those vessels that had been returned early to Greek owner Danaos, including the 10,114 teu Express Berlin.

Envirotainer opens 6th India station at new Navi Mumbai Airport

Pharma ULD firm Envirotainer has opened its sixth India station at the new Navi Mumbai International Airport to provide temperature-controlled solutions for air cargo shipments. The facility doubles the capacity of the company's existing Mumbai operations and has opened ahead of the launch of cargo operations at Navi Mumbai later this year. Pharmaceutical manufacturers have access to all the company's temperature-controlled packaging solutions to help ensure medicines and vaccines can be shipped safely, reliably and efficiently around the world, said Envirotainer. The company added that the facility also introduces local preconditioning capabilities for its parcel and ProofTainer solutions, improving preparation times and supporting stronger cold chain integrity from origin. A dedicated repair and service centre is also scheduled to open in the coming months, bringing full-cycle cold chain support closer to customers across the region. The station is strategically located to support the western India pharmaceutical corridor. Mumbai is one of the world's most important pharmaceutical manufacturing and export hubs and India supplies approximately 20% of the world's generic medicines and 55-60% of UNICEF's vaccine requirements, while pharmaceutical exports reached $30.5bn in 2024-25. Aymeric Chandavoine, chief executive, Envirotainer, said: "India is one of the world's most important pharmaceutical manufacturing and export hubs, and the responsibility that places on the cold chain is significant. "The opening of our Navi Mumbai station reflects our long-term commitment to supporting India's pharmaceutical industry and helping ensure that life-saving treatments reach patients safely, wherever they are." Edward Ng, vice president operations APAC, Envirotainer, added: "Our customers operate in a complex and fast-moving environment where reliability is critical. "By expanding our presence in Navi Mumbai, we are bringing greater capacity, local preconditioning capabilities and enhanced service support closer to one of India's most important pharmaceutical export corridors. "This investment helps ensure our customers have access to the solutions and support they need to keep critical shipments moving." Last week, Air Cargo India said it has transported the first international export shipment from Navi Mumbai.