2021, A Year In Review
2021 has been an eventful year to say the least. Still reeling off the back of 2020, this year has been just as turbulent as its predecessor. Yet despite the challenges this year has thrown at us we are entering 2022 with a positive outlook that things will get better, in fact they are already starting to!
But first let’s review 2021. The logistics industry has faced many an issue this year but as the calendar resets, things are looking up.
January
January saw the UK thrust into its third national lockdown just six days into the new year. Global manufacturing in China was still feeling the impact, being the epicentre of the pandemic and also a major consumer of products. Travel restrictions, implemented worldwide, were also having a knock-on effect on distribution chains.
March
In March 2021, the Suez Canal in Egypt was blocked for six days after a 20,000 TEU container ship, Ever Given, grounded laterally, preventing an estimated US$9.6 billion worth of trade.
June
June saw the RHA upgrade its estimate of the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK to 100,000 as delays at testing stations prevent newly qualified drivers from getting on the road. Concerns also rose to the point where army reserves were considered as supplements for the supply chain.
July
A few months ahead of COP26, the government launched a groundbreaking transport decarbonisation plan to create cleaner, quieter cities and communities for better quality of life and to improve the way people and goods move around as we build back greener. This put time constraints on hauliers as they were further tasked with phasing out diesel HGVs earlier than expected.
September
In September the government confirmed that 10,500 poultry workers, fuel tanker and food lorry drivers would be eligible to work in the UK for three months, until Christmas Eve. Queues were beginning to form, and some fuel deliveries were being affected. Remember the fuel panic?
September also saw the Department for Transport announce that up to 50,000 more HGV driving tests would be made available, with drivers now only having to take one test to drive both a rigid and articulated lorry. The tests were also made shorter by removing certain elements which could be tested separately.
October
October saw the introduction of the idea of free intensive ‘boot camps’ to train 5,000 people to become HGV drivers, with another 1,000 to be trained through courses funded by the adult education budget. The government also began writing to nearly one million drivers who hold an HGV licence to encourage them to return to the industry in a bet to decrease the shortage of drivers. Monetary incentives were also rolled out by some companies to encourage drivers to join.
November
In November, Black Friday accelerated demands and put extra pressure on the already strained supply chain. Delivery times increased; however, extra measures were introduced to increase the number of places for veterans to train as HGV drivers in order to better prepare service leavers for employment following their military careers.
December
And that brings us to now. With the number of drivers increasing steadily and the busiest times of the year (Black Friday and Christmas) out of the way, the strain on the supply chain is beginning to ease. The free bootcamps have been put into action and everyone is looking forward to what 2022 will bring.
The global pandemic has been an incredibly challenging time for the logistic sector and arguably the world’s first circumstance of the supply chain being impacted on mass. Despite this, the sector has persevered and with new drivers joining every day, the supply chain is firmly planting its feet.
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