NEWS & ARTICLES

Uniserve receives upgraded BRC Food Safety rating
We are proud to have recently received an upgraded BRC Food Safety rating at our Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre (FMDC). Our 750,000 sq ft FMDC has been awarded an AA+ food safety rating by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) for 2023, an upgrade from last year’s...

Changes Affecting Northern Ireland Traders: Urgent Action Required for Duty Deferment Accounts
HMRC is making significant changes that will affect Northern Ireland traders, and these changes could disrupt supply chains, especially in the crucial week before Christmas. Here are the key points to take away: 1. Linking Duty Deferment Accounts (DDA) to EORI...

Peak Season Logistics
Keep your customers satisfied this peak season with Uniserve’s support, the ultimate solution for all your warehouse, transport and distribution needs. Navigating peak season can be a logistical tightrope walk for businesses, where every step in the supply chain must...

Uniserve wins Supply Chain Excellence Award
We are proud to share the exciting news of our recent success at the coveted Supply Chain Excellence Awards. Uniserve, in partnership with our long-term client Seasalt, were named winners of the Retail Supply Chain Excellence Award category. The award win shines a...

Streamlining Supply Chains: An In-depth Look into Modern Logistics Solutions
Efficient logistics solutions are at the heart of every successful business. Whether you are a global e-commerce titan or a local manufacturer, the ability to move goods swiftly, cost-effectively, and with precision is non-negotiable. Logistics play a pivotal role in...

Uniserve appoints James Hill as Development Director
Uniserve is delighted to announce the appointment of James Hill as the new Development Director for its property division. In his new role as Development Director, James will be responsible for overseeing the planning and execution of Uniserve's strategic property...

Hat-trick of BIFA award shortlisting’s
Uniserve is proud to announce we've been shortlisted in three categories of this year's BIFA Freight Service Awards. The BIFA Awards encourage and reward the high standards and professionalism across industry sectors and represents the ultimate recognition of special...

CSRD phase-in period to begin on 1st January 2024
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will be phased in on 1st January 2024, as the UK matches the timeline of the EU for adopting the rules in which they must disclose their indirect (Scope 3) emissions. Uniserve, along with many other large...

Trader Support Service Contract extended until 2024
HMRC has confirmed the extension of the Trader Support Service until 31 December 2024. This reaffirms the commitment of HMRC and the UK government to provide long-term support for traders moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in alignment with the...

Uniserve’s Market Update for November Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the November market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Uniserve’s Market Update for October Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the October market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Exclusive Partnership with Jeena Logistics
Uniserve is delighted to announce an exciting new exclusive partnership with renowned logistics experts, Jeena Logistics. Uniserve has been providing logistics solutions in India for many years and has established a strong reputation in the country. This new...

EU expands ETS to include the shipping industry from 2024
The European Union (EU) is poised to broaden the reach and applicability of the EU Emission Trading System (ETS), an initiative that was originally established in 2005. This expansion will encompass the inclusion of the shipping industry within the ETS framework. This...

HMRC encouraging industry to use facilities at Sevington
Since the UK’s departure from the EU in 2020, the commercial operators at Dover Western Docks (DWD) and Stop 24 have worked with HMRC to provide capacity for the new customs processes. Now that the Sevington and Holyhead sites are fully operational, the additional...

DEFRA announces updates to organic food and feed import requirements
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are making immediate changes to the Certificate of Inspection (COI) template. It has been announced that organic food and feed imports into Great Britain will change, as well as a delay to the...

Uniserve have proudly achieved five accreditations in the last 12 months
We're proud to have been accredited with four ISO certifications and one BRC accreditation in the last 12 months. These are in recognition of our commitment to improve our services, environmental responsibilities and create safer working environments. We’ve achieved:...

Uniserve’s Market Updates for September 2023 are Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the September market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

UK government delays food border checks until January 2024
The UK government has now confirmed the Financial Times report was correct and that food border checks will be postponed until January 2024. New health certification requirements for medium and high-risk goods originating in the EU, such as meat and dairy, were due to...

HMRC to phase export transition to Customs Declaration Service
HMRC have recently announced they will move away from the planned hard start on 30th November 2023, to a phased transition to the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) from the current Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) platform for UK exports,...

Uniserve Shortlisted for ‘Retail Supply Chain Excellence’ for Seasalt Partnership
Uniserve is proud to announce we’ve been shortlisted for the ‘Retail Supply Chain Excellence' Award at this year's Supply Chain Excellence Awards 2023, for our partnership with Seasalt. Working closely with Seasalt, a renowned clothing and accessories brand, Uniserve...

Uniserve Shortlisted for ‘Logistics Partner of The Year’ at Logistics Awards 2023
Uniserve is proud to announce we’ve been shortlisted for the ‘Logistics Partner of the Year’ Award by Logistics UK’s Logistic Awards 2023, for our partnership with Seasalt. Working closely with Seasalt, a renowned clothing and accessories brand, Uniserve has helped...

Felixstowe Port Closure
The Port of Felixstowe is temporarily closed as a result of a major communications failure. All VBA (Virtual Berth Allocation) slots have been reclaimed until 4pm today. The temporary closure of the port has implications for our delivery schedules not only for today...

UK government defers post-Brexit food checks for the fifth time
The UK government has once again postponed Brexit-related checks on food and food products entering the country from the EU, marking the fifth delay, as reported by The Financial Times. The decision, prompted by concerns over rising inflation, is set to be announced...

Uniserve Appoints Andrew Rushton as Head of Aerospace
Uniserve is pleased to announce the appointment of Andrew Rushton as Head of Aerospace. With over four decades of extensive experience in the aerospace industry, Andrew brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further strengthen Uniserve's commitment to serving...

Powering Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre with Solar Brilliance
Uniserve takes another momentous step on its sustainability journey with the initiation of a groundbreaking solar panel installation project at its impressive 750,000 sq ft Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre (FMDC). Uniserve partnered with Solar Solutions and Eden...

Alistair Jespersen Appointed Design & Construction Director
Uniserve is delighted to announce the appointment of Alistair Jespersen as Design & Construction Director. With a strong background in the logistics sector, Alistair brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the build and management of large-scale warehouse...

Uniserve’s Market Update for August Now Available 2023
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot for August 2023 providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead. Uniserve has just released the August market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global...

Uniserve’s Market Update for July Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead. Uniserve has just released the July market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the...

Uniserve Celebrates Exceptional Individuals at the British Citizen Awards
Uniserve proudly sponsored the British Citizen Awards, held at the Palace of Westminster on Thursday, 29th June. The prestigious event recognised 26 individuals from across the UK for their outstanding contributions to their communities. Renowned TV presenter Matt...

Uniserve joins Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programme
We are delighted to announce that Uniserve has committed to the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo) Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) programme, which contributes to the development and creation of sustainable aviation fuel. As an industry pioneer, Uniserve's...

Uniserve sponsors Grocer Gold Awards
Uniserve has been proudly unveiled as the main sponsor of the highly anticipated Grocer Gold Awards on Tuesday 4th July. The Grocer Gold Awards, one of the most prestigious events in the retail sector, recognises and celebrates excellence across various categories,...

Uniserve Group Takes Heavyweight Sponsor Title
Uniserve and its group companies, Seafast, George Baker and James Kemball are sponsoring the Rotary club of Felixstowe charity boxing event in May.

Uniserve’s Market Update for May Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead. Uniserve has just released the May market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Uniserve Awarded Ecovadis Silver Rating
Uniserve Awarded Ecovadis Silver Rating for Sustainable Business Practices anddemonstrates the company’s strong commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility

Industrial strike action to cause potential disruption
Industrial strike action to cause potential disruption on the 28 April at UK ports is likely to cause disruption to freight movements.

Uniserve’s Market Update for April Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead. Uniserve has just released the April market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

100,000 Civil Servants to Strike on March 15th
It has been reported that over 100,000 members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union, who are civil service workers, are set to go on strike on Wednesday 15 March 2023. This comes after a nationwide ballot in February, where HMRC members of PCS voted in...

Uniserve’s Market Update for March Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the March market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks ahead....

French Strike On Tuesday 7th March
During January and February French unions mobilised and held demonstrations and strikes against the proposed pension and retirement reforms. Despite these actions, the government has not backed down, leading unions to escalate their tactics. The inter-union group,...

Uniserve strengthen winning partnership with Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport
Uniserve, the UK’s leading independent logistics and trade management provider, is thrilled to announce an extension of its winning partnership with Laser Tools Racing and MB Motorsport ahead of the upcoming 2023 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. As market...

Penny Gradwell joins as Director of Luxury Brands
Penny Gradwell joins to head up the Luxury Brands Sector We are delighted to announce that Penny Gradwell has joined Uniserve as our new Director of Luxury Brands. Luxury Brands is a vertical dedicated to providing sector specific logistics solutions to high end...

New Innovative Degree Apprenticeship Launched
New innovative Masters level PgDip/MBA (Supply Chain) apprenticeship unveiled for supply chain leaders A new and innovative degree apprenticeship for supply chain leaders has been launched by the Uniserve Group in partnership with the University of Suffolk.The Group,...

Border Force Strike
:Border Force Unions, PSC (Public and Commercial Services) is calling for strike action from 17- 20th February across four ports - Dover, Calais, Coquelles, and Dunkirk. The strikes willhave a massive impact on public services’ say PCS General Secretary, Mark...

Uniserve’s Market Update for February Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the January market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Winners of the BIFA Ocean Services Awards
Uniserve were named winners of the Ocean Services category at the annual BIFA Freight Service Awards held in January. Uniserve were recognised for our dynamic strategic development to provide the capacity, reliability and certainty that our customers needed to run...

French strike action aims to ground all transport
French Unions are calling for widespread strike action on the 19th January, which is largely in protest against the French government’s plan to increase the retirement age from 62 to 64. GT-RATP, which represents Paris transport workers, has said: “We are expecting a...

Uniserve’s Market Update for January Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the January market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

CDS export declaration deadline extended
HMRC has announced that the exports deadline for the Customs Declaration Service (CDS) is changing from 31 March 2023 to 30 November 2023. Originally, all export declarations were needed to be made on CDS by 31 March 2023. The extended deadline has been decided by...

UK and International Warehousing Operations Director appointed
Uniserve is delighted to announce the appointment of Jason Moscrop as its new UK and International Warehousing Operations Director, joining its Warehousing and Transport division. David Barry, Director of Warehouse & Transport, Uniserve, commented:“We are...

No1 UK Logistics Provider for 2022
Uniserve has taken top spot in Logistics Manager’s Top 50 Logistics Service Providers 2022, this is the second consecutive year the Group has been named as the fastest growing company in the UK industry.

Uniserve’s Market Update for December Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the December market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

UK Border Force Strike
Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) has announced that UK Border Force staff are going to strike for eight days between 23rd to 31st December, after rejecting a 2% salary offer increase. The result of the planned industrial actions will see 1,000 Border Force...

Uniserve receives BRC food safety rating
We are pleased to announce that our 750,000 sq ft Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre (FMDC) has been awarded the British Retail Consortium (BRC) food safety AA rating. The BRC Global Standard for Food Safety is one of the most recognised certification standards and...

Food bank donation organised by employees at Uniserve’s Tilbury operations
At a time when those in the community are struggling more than ever, Uniserve's teams at our Tilbury operation have rallied and co-ordinated a large scale food donation. In total, an impressive 383.8kg of food donations was collected, ranging from tinned food,...

Industrial strike action at Heathrow airport cancelled
Further to our previous communication regarding dnata strike action at London Heathrow, we’re pleased to inform you that this planned action has been cancelled. Services at the dnata City East facility will operate as normal on 18th, 19th and 20th November For more...

New Direct Service Short Sea Service Launched
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new dedicated short sea service seamlessly connecting Iberia with the UK and Netherlands. A direct service connecting the ports of: Cadiz, Setubal, Aveiro, Teesport, Tilbury and Rotterdam Boasting unrivalled service features:...

Industrial strike action planned at Heathrow airport
Staff at 2 of Heathrow’s ground handlers, dnata and Menzies, are set to take part in three days of strike action later this month over a pay dispute. Flight cancellations expected:The union representing the workers, Unite, has warned that the planned strike action...

Uniserve’s Market Update for November Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the November market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

UniAir Shortlisted As UK Logistics Award Finalists
Uniserve is proud to announce that UniAir, its air freight division, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the prestigious “Air Business of the Year” award by UK Logistics Awards 2022.

Further Strike Action Announced At Liverpool Port As Fallout Over Pay Continues
Unite have announced that around 600 Liverpool port workers will embark on a further two weeks of strike action from the 24th October, as the fallout over pay continues.

Uniserve Awarded Wholesale Distribution Authorisation
Back in December of last year Uniserve were awarded the specialist and much sought-after Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA), making them one of the few logistic companies to hold the accreditation in the UK.

Uniserve’s Market Update for October Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the October market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Uniserve Group Expands UK National Network
Uniserve are excited to announce their new partnership with United Pallet Network (UPN).

Liverpool Dock Workers To Strike Again Amidst No Deal On Pay
Liverpool dock workers announced yesterday that they would strike again amidst no deal being reached on pay.

Liverpool Dock Workers Begin Two-Week Strike Action Over Dispute With Pay
Liverpool dock workers began their two week strike action over a dispute with pay this week, following suit with workers at the Port of Felixstowe.

CHIEF to CDS Migration – The Clock is Ticking, So Let Us Save You Time
In 2021, HMRC announced after nearly 30 years, the closure of its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system by 31st March 2023, as it was felt that the system was no longer fit for purpose.

The Plastic Packaging Tax And What It Means For Your Business
If you are a manufacturer or importer of plastics, you are probably well aware of the governments new Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) initiative, which came into play on the 1st April, 2022.

Chipol Changan 005 Voyage Update
Chipol Changan 005 Voyage Update.

Uniserve’s Market Update for September Now Available
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the September market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for the weeks...

Second Wave of Strike Action Confirmed At Port of Felixstowe
It has been confirmed this week that workers at the Port of Felixstowe will begin a second wave of strike action from 27th September, 2022, which will once again last for 8 days.

Supply Chain Excellence Recognition For Uniserve
Uniserve are looking to secure another Supply Chain Excellence Award win, for the second, consecutive year in a row.

Uniserve Offer Tailor-Made Contingency Plans in Lieu of Port Strike Action
With a port strike seeming inevitable on the 21st August, due to a break down in communications between Hutchison Ports (UK) and Unite, never has there been a better time to get in touch with your CRM Manager at Uniserve to discuss putting tailor-made measures in place to keep your supply chains moving.

Felixstowe Port Strike Action Imminent After Break Down Of Union Talks
Strike action seems likely to go ahead from the 21st August after Union representatives Unite and Hutchinson Ports (UK) failed to reach an agreement on pay.

China Advise Shipping Vessels To Reroute Amidst Military Drills In Taiwan
China have advised shipping companies to reroute their vessels, amidst military drills in Taiwan this week.

Uniserve’s Market Update for August Now Available 2022
Uniserve's monthly market snapshot for August 2022 providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.Uniserve has just released the August market update, providing key insights and forecasts for global supply chains for...

CHIEF to CDS Migration Made Easy With The Release Of HMRC ‘How To’ Videos
As you are probably now well aware, HMRC’s CHIEF (Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight system) is being discontinued and replaced by CDS (Customs Declaration Service) by 31st March, 2023.

FMDC Infrastructure Project Wins Prestigious UKWA Excellence Award
Celebrations were in full swing on Tuesday (28th June), as it was announced at UKWA’s (United Kingdom Warehousing Association) Annual Awards Ceremony in London, that Uniserve’s FMDC (Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre) infrastructure project had won one of its prestigious Industry Excellence Awards.

CHIEF to CDS Migration – Are You Ready For The Move?
In 2021, HMRC announced after nearly 30 years, the closure of its Customs Handling of Import and Export Freight (CHIEF) system by 31st March 2023, as it was felt that the system was no longer fit for purpose.

Ellerman Add Hong Kong West Bound Route To Their Ever Growing List Of Sea Freight Services
Ellerman City Lines are pleased to announce the launch of their Hong Kong West Bound Sea Freight service.

Uniserve’s Market Update for June Now Available
Uniserve’s monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.

Shanghai Enter Phase 2 of 3 Stage: ‘Return To Work And Production’ Plan
Shanghai have entered the second phase of their three stage plan, which will see work and production resume in China’s largest commercial and industrial city.

Uniserve’s FMDC Infrastructure Project Shortlisted For UKWA Excellence Award
Recognition was given to Uniserve’s FMDC (Felixstowe Mega Distribution Centre) infrastructure project this week,

Gradual Easing Of Lockdown Measures Announced For Shanghai’s Logistics Industry
Shanghai’s government have released new policies for the gradual easing of lockdown for its logistics industry (16th May, 2022).

Uniserve’s Market Update for May Now Available
Uniserve’s monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.

Civil Unrest Continues As Sri Lanka’s Economic Crisis Worsens
Civil unrest continues as Sri Lanka’s economic crisis worsens.

Uniserve’s Market Update for April Now Available
Uniserve’s monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.

Shanghai’s Lockdown Continues
Global supply chains are facing further disruption as the city of Shanghai extends its lockdown. The city went into a phrased lockdown on 28th March 2022 following a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Shanghai enters staggered COVID-19 lockdown
Shanghai has been put into a phased lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19. The eastern half of the city is now in lockdown until April 1st after which the west of Shanghai will be locked down until April 5th.

Industry scrambles to seek P&O alternatives
UK and European supply chains are under increased strain following sacking of 800 staff and suspension services by P&O Ferries.

Uniserve’s Market Update for March Now Available
Uniserve’s monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.

COVID-19: Shenzhen enters citywide lockdown risking chaos in global supply chain
Immediate, week-long city-wide lockdown in Shenzhen.

Ukraine: Supply Chain Update 11.03.22
Following on from our earlier story, the war in Ukraine continues to place increasing strain on supply chains across the world. Read the latest updates here.

Uniserve Group Suspends All Bookings To/From Russia
In light of the escalating situation in Ukraine, Uniserve Group is with immediate effect introducing a temporary suspension on all cargo bookings to/from Russia – across all its divisions including (but not limited to) UniOcean and UniAir. Where possible this ban will not extend to the delivery of essential / humanitarian supplies such as food and medicines.

Uniserve donates essential items to Ukraine
Uniserve colleagues have pulled together to donate much-needed supplies to the families fleeing the conflict, filling half of our Tilbury office in under two days.

Ukraine crisis: supply chain update
While the situation in Ukraine is unfolding rapidly it is clear that the turmoil in the region and the sanctions imposed on Russia are likely to have a considerable impact on global supply chains.

Uniserve renews BTCC relationship with ROKiT MB Motorsport
Uniserve are delighted to announce our continued partnership with ROKiT MB Motorsport into the 2022 Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship. Following a string of successful races during the 2021 BTCC season and great customer engagement, renewing the partnership was a natural progression of a great business relationship.

Uniserve’s Market Update for January/February Now Available
Uniserve’s monthly market snapshot providing international freight, trade and supply chain insights and forecasts for the weeks ahead.