The Shipping Lines serving the Asia to Europe routes have already decided on their New Years Resolution; to reduce capacity, improve their margins and increase rates.
Like the resolutions that we all make every January 1st, only time will tell if they actually stick
to them!
Not all Lines have announced their intentions, but enough of a crowd has already to make it worth highlighting.
Maersk and OOCL are principal in announcing a reduction in weekly services, in an effort to reduce capacity. Capacity overall may well feel a further pinch with MISC and CSAV both looking to withdraw from the container liner business altogether. Yang Ming Line has gone for a more lethargic approach in planning to introduce ‘super slow’ sailings, thus reducing their operating costs. On the other hand, the likes of Coscon, CSCL and Hanjin have gone for much more blunt instrument by announcing the imposition of a Peak Season Surcharge with effect from the last week in December. This is with a view to the Chinese New Year holiday, which in 2012 falls between January 23rd and January 27th.
On the face of it, all this is not the best news to welcome in the New Year. However, let’s see how strong the Lines’ resolve is and even if increases do come to fruition you can always rely on Seaspace International Forwarders to source cost effective and reliable services to suit you.