Released on = April 16, 2007, 12:34 am

Press Release Author = Bharat Book Bureau

Industry = Marketing

Press Release Summary = It is estimated that, in 2005, the UK international
freight-services market was worth around £19.76bn, of which £15.43bn was
attributable to freight forwarding. Freight forwarding is defined to include related
warehousing, storage and customs-clearance activity.

Press Release Body = Freight Forwarding - Market Report 2006
It is estimated that, in 2005, the UK international freight-services market was
worth around £19.76bn, of which £15.43bn was attributable to freight forwarding.
Freight forwarding is defined to include related warehousing, storage and
customs-clearance activity. It supports the international freight-services market,
which includes international freight transport operations by road, air, sea and
rail. Largely because of improvements in transport efficiency, demand for such
freight services has increased less than proportionately to growth in gross domestic
product (GDP). However, over the 5-year review period (2001 to 2005), growth
experienced by the freight-forwarding sector exceeded growth in the
freight-transport sector as a whole.

Recent influences supporting the growth of the freight-forwarding sector have
included the trend towards outsourcing of non-core business activities by many firms
across the commercial spectrum, the growing complexity of regulation affecting
international trading relationships, and an increasing awareness of security
considerations. All of these factors have made it more beneficial for clients to use
the services of a professional forwarder, but other developments, which have reduced
the regulatory burden on shippers and transport operators alike, have lessened the
benefits of using these specialists. Noteworthy among these has been the progressive
deregulation of transport markets within and between the member countries of the EU,
with the dismantling of customs barriers between member countries removing the need
for many of the specialist services formerly provided by the freight forwarder.

Other influences affecting the sector in the recent past have included the need to
comply with many onerous regulations, including those concerning terms and
conditions of employment, which have had a disproportionate impact on the many
smaller freight forwarders operating in the sector.

Road transport remains the dominant mode for international freight transport, but
sea freight showed the highest growth over the review period, with receipts from
cross trades showing a particularly large increase. Although the share of air
freight is small in terms of tonnage carried, it represents a much higher share in
terms of the value of items carried and the service provided. The international
rail-freight sector performed well below its potential over the period, largely as a
result of disruption to services caused by asylum seekers at the SNCF-operated
rail-freight terminal near Calais in 2002 and continuing issues regarding the
quality of service to clients.

Independent forecasts of the development of the UK economy indicate that it will
continue to experience steady if modest economic growth over the period to 2010,
with inflation and unemployment continuing at relatively low levels. This, together
with further market globalisation, an increased awareness of security and
environmental issues, and the continuing development of IT applications to enhance
the value of the freight-forwarding product, suggest a favourable environment for
the continued growth of the sector.

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