News / Shippers 'on the ropes' in one-sided contract contest with 'arrogant' carriers

Shippers caught in bear market. © Malik5 Dreamstime.com

The Asia-Europe contract season is well under way, with ocean carriers cherry-picking large-volume shippers and locking them into multi-year deals.

It is a template being followed by transpacific carriers, where annual rate negotiations are said to be “well ahead” of the norm for 12-month contracts that expire at the end of April.

Moreover, on secondary tradelanes such as the transatlantic, some lines are reported to be refusing to open negotiations on contract renewals, such is the gulf between existing contracts and the ...