News / Stranded Russia-bound box lines ask shippers to stump up more cash

Transmasters asked customers for $1,750 per container to discharge cargo from Honrise Photo: vesselFinder

Two opportunistic liner operators that started Russia-bound services are now in financial trouble.

Last Thursday (25 January), the China-based, Hong Kong-incorporated Global Field Line (GFL) wrote to customers, seeking an additional payment of $3,000/teu and $5,000/feu to settle sums due to its local agent and port operator. The payments relate to the 2,472 teu MYD Jimei, which GFL operates and is now stranded in the Baltic Sea, having been anchored outside St Petersburg since 8 January.

Owned by four Chinese nationals, GFL ...