ID 120511924 © Nadezhda Zima | Dreamstime.com
By Mike Wackett
A shortage of containers rather than space on box ships is the main driver of the unrelenting spike in freight rates on headhaul routes.
Moreover, the focus by carriers to reposition their empty equipment as quickly as possible back to Asia, to take advantage of skyrocketing spot rates, has left exporters around the world scrambling for boxes.
Indeed, one UK-based carrier executive told The Loadstar recently it was “discouraging” its export sales teams from “pushing too hard” for bookings.
“We would much rather ...
Comment on this article
Jordi Espin
October 28, 2020 at 3:17 pmBlank sailings, less port connections, less service, longer transit time and no availability of containers…….. all in a packet that comes with a 67% rate increase in comparison to 2019 according the main maritime supply chain analysts. What else needs to happen in order that shipping lines shift into a customer centered mode?