Slow-steaming: an opportunity for the air freight industry?

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Freight is getting slower. As reported earlier this week by The Loadstar, six Asia-Europe strings are now super-slow steaming. Or going slower than the 19th century tea clippers. It’s a win-win for shipping lines ? absorbing capacity while cutting fuel costs. The average rotation of Far East to Northern Europe loops is now 10.5 weeks  ? in 2007 it was 8.2 weeks, according to Alphaliner.

The gap between sea freight and air freight is widening. Significantly. For shippers who don’t want ...