Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of increase in shipping cost for exports from the UK in each of the last 12 months.
The high demand for container freight which has driven a rise in export shipping costs over the last 12 months is thought to be caused by changes in consumer spending during the Covid-19 pandemic. This global “container surge” is affecting not only the UK but container prices across international markets. High prices are predicted to continue through 2021 though markets are expected, eventually, to adjust.