Industry Update: Fuel Card Expansion in Finland, Ryanair Goes Digital, and Freight Rates Fall

Field Card Company Announces Finnish Expansion 

UTA Edenrad has announced its expansion of its acceptance network to Finland in an effort to expand its stations around the country.

The European fuel card company announced the expansion via a partnership with Vantaa-based energy provider Oy Teboil Ab (“Teboil”) to add around 430 Teboil-branded stations to the UTA network in Finland.

In the first step, around 200 HGV-suitable stations will be available to UTA customers with a further 230 stations, including fuel stations for cars, to be added in the coming months.  In total, the partnership with Teboil increases UTA Edenred's acceptance network in Finland to around 1,000stations across the country.

Ryanair to scrap the paper boarding passes

Europe’s leading airliner Ryanair has announced plans to remove paper boarding passes in a move to transition away from paper and towards digitisation.

The Irish airliner claims that currently eight in 10 passengers use the company’s mobile app for boarding.

Passengers onboard flights can now have the option of using the airline’s app to acquire their pass.

Speaking on the move, which is expected in either April or May of this year, Ryanair Chief Executive, Michael O'Leary mentioned that he is not used to this system himself:

“I’m one of the last remaining people still showing up with my piece of paper,” he said. 

“Everybody who travels with us has the app, the mobile boarding pass is on the app and we’ve got to move more and more people that way. 

“It also means, once we get everybody onto the app, nobody will ever again pay for a boarding pass at an airport - the airport check in fee will be gone. 

“So, I think it will be a smoother, easier journey for everybody.” 

Ryanair said it flew a total of 197.2 million passengers in 2024 – an 8pc increase from 2023.

Freight Rates Down but Short Term  Shipping Outlook Negative

The Drewry World Container Index announced a drop in freight rates of 6pc Thursday compared to a week earlier a slight drop from the 10pc fall seen a week earlier with the Shanghai Containerized Freifht Indiex falling by 5pc on Friday.

The drop is attributed to the the Houthis’ decision to stop their blockade of the Red Sea, except Israeli vessels. However, major container companies are reluctant to enter the shipping hub due to ongoing regional threats.

A 2025 Container Shipping Outlook Report has indicated carriers to the Red Sea and Suez Canal would not place in the first half of 2024 due to instability.

The report mentioned:

“Whenever the crisis is resolved, the return of diverted capacity and the addition of a massive supply of news builds could swamp the supply-demand balance, drive rates down, and tip profits into losses.”