Shippers question Maersk's claim that they 'accept' reefer rate rises

By Gavin van Marle & Alex von Stempel in Berlin

28/02/2013

The importance of this year’s $1,500 per reefer container general rate increase to the finances of the world’s largest container line was underlined last week when Maersk announced its annual results.

However, perishable shippers warned that in many cases the line would be unable to achieve its target.

Reporting a full-year net profit of $461m on revenues, of $27.1bn for Maersk’s container shipping division, chief executive Nils Smedegaard Andersen told financial analysts that the increase in reefer rates was a second prong ...

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Martin Florian
March 04, 2013 at 9:53 am
By increasing Reefer rates dramatically Maersk is trying to flex its monopolistic muscles. The problem is not with the rate increase itself, it’s that they have applied the rate increase on current contracts with minimum MQC. Small shippers who sign contracts with Maersk now have to take a hit on their margins to accommodate the GRI.The shipping industry, after all the mergers, seems like a monopolistic mafia.

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