News / Chances of container freight rate rises on core trades fade, despite growing demand

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Despite improving economic conditions, container carriers are unlikely to witness any significant improvement in freight rates on the core global east-west trades, according to Drewry Supply Chain Advisors.

The company is forecasting that major deepsea east-west freight rates will see a drop of 1.9-2% over the course of this year compared with 2013.

And global rates could drop as much as 2.5%, largely as a result of north-south freight rates “taking a pummelling”, due to the cascading of larger vessels.

Drewry director Philip ...