News / Softening spot rates could mean 'days are numbered' for ad-hoc carriers

Yantian Port. Credit Gigel.atat.

Maersk said this week it anticipated container spot rates would fall back in the second half of the year, justifying its strategy to secure 70% of its volume under long-term contracts.

Spot rates are already showing signs of softening, post Chinese New Year, on the Asia-North Europe tradelane, and the return to some form of normalisation in H2 would threaten the sustainability of the new challenger carriers on the route.

The ever-growing number of disrupter carriers offering several sailings a week from ...