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Cainiao strengthens cross-border customs clearance capabilities in Mexico

Chinese e-commerce logistics and technology company Cainiao has strengthened its customs clearance capabilities in Mexico for cross-border customers. By combining customs clearance with last-mile delivery, parcels can move through Cainiao's network with better visibility and tighter control over exceptions, helping reduce delays and risks caused by multiple handoffs, said the company. Since entering the Mexican market in 2024, Cainiao has continued to expand its local network and now operates a 20,000 sq m sorting centre and 38 consolidation and delivery stations. Located near Felipe Ángeles International Airport, a major cargo hub in Mexico, the sorting centre supports faster inbound transfer and parcel processing. Cainiao plans to add more automation at the facility to further improve sorting efficiency and peak-season capacity. The company said it has also built strong partnerships with major cross-border and local e-commerce platforms and brands, including Inditex, Mercado Libre, Temu and TikTok. Earlier this month, Cainiao launched a cross-border logistics service that enables parcels to be delivered within three calendar days on 15 international routes. The company has also announced that its local express network in Mexico has expanded from 20 states to nationwide coverage. The company has also launched local pickup services in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Major areas in Mexico City and the State of Mexico now offer two-day delivery, while key cities in other parts of the country can be served within three days. The company is using AI-powered dispatching, route planning, address recognition and image recognition technologies to improve last-mile accuracy and fulfilment reliability. Shen Jianfeng, vice president of Cainiao, said Mexico's logistics market is seeing growing and more diverse demand. He said cross-border sellers increasingly need stable, compliant customs clearance and a more controllable end-to-end fulfilment process, while the rapid growth of local e-commerce has raised domestic sellers' expectations for broader coverage, faster delivery and more precise service. "Mexico's cross-border and domestic e-commerce sectors are both growing rapidly, making the market a key focus for Cainiao. We will continue to strengthen our local network and team capabilities," Jianfeng added.

War and weather continue to limit intra-Asia capacity and keep rates high

The intra-Asia container freight market strengthened for a third consecutive week as unrest in the Middle East and typhoon-related disruption across China tightened capacity and pushed rates higher on most major trades. Drewry's Intra-Asia Container Index (IACI), a benchmark widely monitored by procurement teams, rose 6% week on week on 20 August, to $1,091 per 40ft, and the consultant expects prices to continue increasing in the coming weeks, supported by persistent port congestion and equipment shortages. Spot rates on routes from China to South-east and South Asia strengthened further as port operations remained disrupted after China was hit by typhoons Bavi, Noul, Dolphin, and Narra over the past six weeks, while North Asian ports account for half of global congestion, with 2.2 million teu on vessels waits to berth. And Middle East tensions provided an additional source of upward pressure: rates from Shanghai to Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) increased 26%, to $2,970 per 40ft, while Shanghai-Jebel Ali prices rose 6%, to $7,434. Congestion at Indian ports also intensified. Average vessel waiting times at JNPA reached 24 hours in Week 33, compared with 14 hours in Week 32. Other China-origin trades also recorded significant rate increases. Shanghai-Singapore climbed 15%, to $1,256 per 40ft, while Shanghai-Laem Chabang increased 13%, to $804. The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index also registered gains in the Shanghai-South-east Asia rate, which moved up by 9% from 14 August, to $728 per teu, on 21 August. Drewry said the market remained supported by weather-related disruption, rising fuel costs, and uncertainty surrounding the Middle East. Renewed US-Iran hostilities and recent attacks on vessels have heightened security concerns, with any further escalation potentially disrupting shipping operations and putting additional upward pressure on freight rates. Elsewhere in the intra-Asia market, spot rates on routes from South and South-east Asia showed more mixed movements. Ho Chi Minh City-Shanghai rates fell 14%, to $64 per 40ft, while Yokohama-Shanghai rates increased 11%, to $94. Capacity is, nevertheless, set to expand. Evergreen launched its SI8 service on 23 August, through a slot arrangement with Interasia Lines, Wan Hai, and KMTC. The four-week service will deploy four 1,700-3,000 teu vessels, calling at Jakarta, Surabaya, Singapore, Port Klang, Tuticorin, and Nhava Sheva. Drewry expects rates on the South and South-east Asia trades to stabilise in the coming weeks as additional capacity enters the market. However, the consultancy added: "The broader intra-Asia market is likely to remain sensitive to port congestion, equipment availability, fuel costs, and developments in the Middle East."

Air China Cargo offers air cargo capacity through cargo.one

Air China Cargo has initiated its first global digital distribution partnership by placing its air cargo capacity on cargo.one for freight forwarders to book instantly. From 27 August, forwarders using cargo.one in Europe and North America can quote, book and track cargo, including express, up to 5000 kg on Air China Cargo services to destinations including Shanghai Pudong, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing and Hangzhou. Additional markets and capacity products will become available on cargo.one in the months that follow. The combination of cargo.one's multimodal rate selection and its AI workers helps forwarders to quote faster and more accurately, as well as optimise their win rates and scale their operations more efficiently, said the airfreight booking portal. Lei Wang, general manager of sales and marketing at Air China Cargo, commented: "Launching global digital sales on cargo.one is an important milestone in Air China Cargo's growth strategy and digitalization journey. "As an innovative and proven partner, cargo.one helps to extend our presence to thousands more relevant freight forwarders worldwide, and continually guarantees the seamless end-to-end experience our customers rightly expect." Moritz Claussen, founder and co-chief executive of cargo.one, added: "We are proud to be selected as the partner-of-choice by Air China Cargo. "As Air China Cargo's first global digital sales partner, we provide freight forwarders a valuable new gateway to its sought-after capacity to and from China, fully integrated within our AI-native operating system."