News
- Ocean News
- 7/7/2010
- Retailers Foresee Strong Imports from Asia
Bill Mongelluzzo - JOC Online, 30 Jun 2010
Cargo projections by retailers indicate that U.S. imports from Asia will remain strong at least into the autumn peak-shipping season, and that could mean a continuation of the container shortage that has plagued importers in recent months, according to a top shipping executive.
Frank Baragona, president of CMA CGM (America), said retailers that have shared their cargo projections for the coming two months are confident that imports from Asia will remain strong as the trade transitions to the peak-shipping season.
Although the U.S. economic recovery is fragile, bookings and cargo projections for the next 60 days indicate there will be no drop-off in imports from Asia, and Baragona said he believes volumes will increase even further during the September-October peak season.
Container manufacturers in China have steadily ramped up production, but they can not keep up with the growing cargo volumes in the major trades linking Asia with North America and Europe.
On a brighter note, carriers are bringing back a number of trans-Pacific services that they had laid up during the winter months, so those shippers that can secure containers are no longer having their shipments "rolled" to subsequent voyage because of a shortage of vessel capacity.
Shipping lines raised their freight rates in the service contracts that took effect on May 1, and a number of carriers, including CMA CGM, filed for a peak-season surcharge in June. Some lines have already filed with the Federal Maritime Commission their intention to levy a second peak-season surcharge to take effect in July or August. Baragona said CMA CGM is reviewing the situation, but has not decided yet if it will have a second peak-season surcharge.
Ocean Carriers Scramble to Beat Box Shortage
Peter T. Leach - JOC Online, 01 Jul 2010
Multiple methods to increase supply make little headway as demand surges
Maersk Line is rejecting some shipments and retrieving empty ocean containers from customers more quickly to help offset a shortage of containers, according to Bloomberg News.
Maersk has reactivated idled vessels to help relocate empty containers and ordered new boxes after a larger than expected jump in shipping demand squeezed supplies.
The shortage of boxes has been compounded by shipping lines operating vessels more slowly to pare fuel costs. This means that journeys take longer and that containers spend more time onboard vessels.
Liner companies including Cosco and China Shipping Container Lines have also imposed extra surcharges this year citing the shortage of boxes. Cosco, for example, announced surcharges on shipments to Taiwan from Shanghai from July 15 because of a container “imbalance.”
The combination of levies and rebounding demand has pushed freight rates to near historical highs, according to the Hong Kong Shippers’ Council, a group representing exporters and traders in the city.
“Shipping lines are just maximizing their profits now,” said Sunny Ho, executive director of the council. “Since they have imposed peak season and other additional surcharges, they should be delivering better services and boosting their shipping speeds.”
OOCL Chassis Unavailable in Three Cities
Peter T. Leach - JOC Online, 01 Jul 2010
OOCL told its customers it will no longer provide chassis for Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh bills of lading, both import and export as of Sept. 1.
Its notice said all motor carriers, either working as suppliers for OOCL or OOCL customers, must provide chassis for these shipments as of that date.
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