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Carrabes vs Expeditors - the show goes on

"Unlike Rumpelstiltskin, plaintiff Michael Carrabes cannot spin straw into gold. In this employment litigation, Plaintiff roots all of his claims (...) in the same untenable soil, specifically, his unfounded belief that his former supervisor, defendant Tracy Peveri, fabricated a complaint about Plaintiff so that Peveri could remove him from his position managing a sales team and install a female employee in his place." Those were the opening remarks of Expeditors in a filing lodged in Massachusetts a month ago, where ...

One in 10 inspected containers still failing safety checks

More than one in 10 containers inspected by authorities over the course of 2025 were shown to have safety deficiencies, according to new data published by the World Shipping Council. The liner shipping lobby group said that during last year a total of 93,079 cargo transport units - most commonly shipping containers but also ro-ro units and trailers - were inspected at ports and identified 9,645 deficiencies, including "incorrect documentation, marking and labelling, improper packing and inadequate cargo securing, all of which can increase the risk of cargo damage, container losses and ship fires". The deficiency rate thus stood at 10.36%, a level that was slightly down on 2023 and 2024, but still way above where the level should be, the WSC argued. "Finding deficiencies in more than one in ten inspected units is far too high," said Joe Kramek, president and CEO of the World Shipping Council. "Correct declaration, packing, securing and marking are fundamental safety obligations. When these requirements are not met, people's lives are put at risk," he added. Although the IMO formally stopped publishing its annual report into container deficiencies in 2024, the WSC has maintained the programme, "keeping this important safety information accessible to governments and industry". In terms of type of deficiency, the most common form was incorrect marking and placarding of containers, which accounted for 46% of deficiencies; followed by the stowage of cargo side container and road trailers, which accounted for 26% of deficiencies and have often found to be the cause of container stack collapses on board vessels. The third most common type of deficiency was incorrect marking and labelling of packages inside cargo transport units - recently highlighted as key factor in lithium battery fires - which accounted for over 10%. However, the WSC also noted that the data was comprised of reporting by just seven countries - Chile, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden and the United States - out of the 170 IMO member states, "leaving significant gaps in the global safety picture". "States have a responsibility to enforce cargo safety rules, including through effective inspections," Mr Kramek continued. "The fact that only seven Member States reported results is concerning. More governments need to report their inspections so that risks can be consistently identified and action taken," he added.

Flydubai to launch freighter operations

Flydubai has launched dedicated freighter operations to complement its passenger bellyhold operations and capitalise on Dubai's position as a trade hub. The expansion into freighter operations will see the carrier add three Boeing 737-800 freighter aircraft to its fleet through a wet-lease agreement with SolitAir. Operations are due to start on 1 October and the freighters will complement the airline's existing fleet of 98 passenger 737 aircraft. FlyDubai said operations would provide immediate maindeck capability in time for the fourth quarter peak season. The airline added that it would also evaluate the further expansion of its freighter operations through the addition of converted freighters from 2029 onwards. Fludubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith said: "Dubai has established itself as one of the world's most connected hubs for E-commerce, trade and logistics, and its ambitions under the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 continue to create new opportunities for businesses to reach global markets. "The launch of dedicated freighter operations marks an important step in flydubai's evolution and reflects our commitment to supporting Dubai's vision through enhanced trade connectivity and logistics capabilities. "By building on the strength of our network and expanding our cargo offering and list of codeshare and interline partners, we are creating new pathways for businesses to move goods more efficiently, access new markets and contribute to economic growth across the region and beyond." The airline's cargo division operates out of DWC where it has dedicated airside infrastructure and direct multimodal. The freighters will allow point-to-point charter and scheduled freighter capabilities across more than 125 destinations throughout Africa, Central Asia, the Caucasus, Central and Southeast Europe, the GCC and the Middle East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. They also mean flydubai can offer tailored handling of specialised commodity streams, including aerospace components, temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, perishables, live animals, express courier shipments and dangerous goods. "Initial freighter flights will target high-demand regional sectors, scaling frequency as operational capacity grows," the airline said. Hamad Obaidalla, chief commercial officer at flydubai, added: "As trade requirements evolve, our partners require guaranteed maindeck capacity, flexible scheduling and specialised handling. "Establishing DWC as our freighter hub gives our commercial partners direct access to Dubai's world-class logistics ecosystem, backed by tailored products designed for high-value and sensitive cargo."