Asia-Australia

On the wires: The container freight story at a granular level

Alphaliner published an interesting note this week which looked at the extraordinary performance of container freight rates, but at a granular level.
Analysing the recent gains on the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index – which charts nine deepsea trades out of Shanghai, in addition to four intra-Asia routes – and dividing the headhaul freight rate with the nautical distances between Shanghai and each trade’s base port to give the dollar earned per …

The post On the wires: The container freight...

https://theloadstar.com/on-the-wires-the-container-freight-story-at-a-granular-level/

Ocean shipping companies fight the empty container build-up

Pictured: a container ship approaches shore. Image: Pixabay

Ocean shipping lines are deploying sweeper and extra-loader vessels to Australia, at a high financial cost to help clear the empty container build-up. The willingness of shipping lines to make direct cost outlays and forego revenue to reduce the empty container backlog shows the incredible support being given by ocean carriers to keeping Australia’s supply chain functioning.

Empty container congestion is now a problem at major ports all...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/ocean-shipping-companies-fight-the-empty-container-build-up/

Australian shipping operations – ‘they’ve never been in a worse state’

The ongoing “disarray” in Australia’s container supply chains will mean empty shelves for some retailers at Christmas.
Industrial action by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) against Patrick Terminals was suspended in early October – pending peace talks over a new pay deal – but supply chain delays from  previous MUA work stoppages are still playing out, two months later.
Shipping schedules were put out of whack, creating a backlog of “eight-to-ten” …

The post Australian shipping operations –...

https://theloadstar.com/australian-shipping-operations-theyve-never-been-in-a-worse-state/

Ocean rates still rising alongside ‘major problems’ for those on the front line

Today’s Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) shows a further 10.65-point gain in its comprehensive index to 1,448.87 – 71% higher than at the end of May.
The huge increase over the past five months, in the midst of the pandemic, has been driven by substantial gains in container spot rates across both main and secondary tradelanes.
For example, on the secondary routes of Asia to Australasia, Asia to South Africa and Asia …

The post Ocean rates still rising alongside ‘major problems’ for...

https://theloadstar.com/ocean-rates-still-rising-alongside-major-problems-for-those-on-the-front-line/

Zim to enter Asia-Australia container trade despite Sydney port woes

Israeli carrier Zim is pressing ahead with entering the Asia-Australia trade despite the high levels of container congestion being witnessed at its main gateway ports.
After weeks of industrial action, coupled with bad weather that has affected shipping schedules and a mounting trade imbalance, Australian ports, particularly Sydney, are struggling to clear a severe cargo backlog.
However, Zim announced today that it will launch its new China Australia Express (CAX) service in …

The post Zim to...

https://theloadstar.com/zim-to-enter-asia-australia-container-trade-despite-sydney-port-woes/

Maersk refuses bookings for shipments to Sydney as the port struggles to cope

Despite signs of a rapprochement between docker unions and container terminal employers in the port of Sydney, shippers have been warned to expect continuing congestion in container supply chains.
And some carriers are refusing bookings for shipments to the port.
Yesterday, Maersk announced a temporary suspension on Sydney bookings, likely to last until the end of the month.
It said: “To remove uncertainty for our customers’ supply chain and to assist handling of …

The post Maersk refuses...

https://theloadstar.com/maersk-refuses-bookings-for-shipments-to-sydney-as-the-port-struggles-to-cope/

Union backs off until November at Sydney, but port delays and congestion run on

Port operations resumed unhindered at DP World’s Sydney terminal over the weekend, after the Maritime Union of Australia agreed to halt its industrial action.
However, liner body Shipping Australia warned that shippers and freight forwarders could still expect substantial disruption to container supply chains.
It said: “The union has given a written undertaking to the Fair Work Commission that no further notice of industrial action at Port Botany will be given before …

The post Union backs off...

https://theloadstar.com/union-backs-off-until-november-at-sydney-but-port-delays-and-congestion-run-on/

Queensland Covid-19 vessel ban is ‘reckless and indefensible’, says shipping group

Australian shipping lobby group Shipping Australia has slammed today’s decision by the state of Queensland to introduce restrictions on ships calling at its ports, particularly the container hub of Brisbane.
Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ) today banned all commercial ships from entering ports in the state if the ship, or anyone on board, has been in any country outside Australia within the past 14 days.
Contravention of the MSQ ruling is a criminal …

The post Queensland Covid-19 vessel ban is...

https://theloadstar.com/queensland-covid-19-vessel-ban-is-reckless-and-indefensible-says-shipping-group/

Capacity cuts on North Asia-Australia container trade as demand plummets

Shipping lines are cutting container services between North Asia and Australia as plummeting freight demand reaches “breaking point”.
According to Alphaliner, streamlining services on the North Asia-China-Australia trade will remove around 4,500 teu of weekly capacity and make five classic panamax ships redundant.
For example, Alphaliner said, the joint Australia Express service by ONE, Yang Ming, Evergreen, APL and Hapag-Lloyd would be closed in its current form; as will a service jointly …

The...

https://theloadstar.com/capacity-cuts-on-north-asia-australia-container-trade-as-demand-plummets/

APL to quit Asia-Europe trade as CMA CGM eyes greater cost-saving

CMA CGM has announced that its Singapore-headquartered subsidiary, APL, will exit the Asia-Europe trades after the summer.
The announcement came as the French carrier reported its first-quarter results this morning, which included $1.7bn in revenue from recently acquired 3PL Ceva Logistics.
However, it was the decision to withdraw APL from a series of trades and instead focus on its transpacific and intra-Asia services that caught the eye, potentially reversing CMA CGM’s long-held …

The post APL...

https://theloadstar.com/apl-to-quit-asia-europe-trade-as-cma-cgm-eyes-greater-cost-saving/

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