Asia-Europe

New Loadstar LongRead: South-east Asia ports on the cusp of change

The increasing ability of Asia’s secondary ports to handle some of the largest box ships is leading container lines to increase direct port calls in the region.
According to the latest Loadstar LongRead, On the cusp of change, published today, “Japanese container line ONE has drawn up plans to add fifth weekly direct call at Vietnam in May – and it will be the first to access the northern part of …

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https://theloadstar.com/new-loadstar-longread-south-east-asia-ports-on-the-cusp-of-change/

Synergies and growing logistics venture help OOCL make a $65m turnaround

Cosco-controlled OOCL has joined the ranks of shipping lines looking to vertically integrate logistics operations into their core container transport activities.
The Hong Kong-headquartered shipping line – of which last year Chinese carrier Cosco bought a 75% stake, but has since been largely run as an independent entity – posted 2018 annual results this week, reporting a 2017 net loss of $10m transformed into a $55m net profit.
Its carryings last year were …

The post Synergies and growing...

https://theloadstar.com/synergies-and-growing-logistics-venture-help-oocl-make-a-65m-turnaround/

Operating results for bellwether OOCL suggest good news for carriers

OOCL has released operational results for the fourth quarter of 2018 which suggest trading conditions continued to improve for global container carriers in the final months of last year.
The fourth-quarter and full-year results of the world’s largest container line, Maersk, will be published on 21 February, but the operational numbers from OOCL are generally a good pre-financial results indication of how the industry performed in the previous quarter.
The COSCO subsidiary …

The post Operating...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/operating-results-for-bellwether-oocl-suggest-good-news-for-carriers/

Economic double-whammy and softening demand add to pressure on box carriers

A slowdown in European economies and fallout from US-China trade war has upped the risk factor for ocean carriers this year, according to the latest analysis by research and consultancy firm Maritime Strategies International (MSI).
The consultant says there could also be softer demand on secondary lanes this year, which will add to the industry’s woes.
In its latest Container Shipping Forecaster, MSI says that, while demand on the major trades “remains …

The post Economic double-whammy and...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/economic-double-whammy-and-softening-demand-add-to-pressure-on-box-carriers/

2M drops eight port calls, adds six ULCVs and returns to slow-steaming in network revamp

The 2M alliance is to phase in six more ultra large container vessels (ULCVs) into its 10 Asia-Europe service strings from next March in an endeavour to improve schedule reliability, which it said had been blighted by bad weather and terminal congestion.
However, the weekly capacity offering will be unchanged due to the implementation of further super slow steaming on the tradelane.
2M partner MSC was especially critical of the part that …

The post 2M drops eight port calls, adds six ULCVs and...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/2m-drops-eight-port-calls-adds-six-ulcvs-and-returns-to-slow-steaming-in-network-revamp/

Buoyant HMM unveils ambitious market share target with new ULCVs

South Korean container carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) is targeting a 7% market share in the major deepsea east-west trades as it prepares to take delivery of 20 new ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs).
And it sought to reassure investors and customers alike that, after seeing increased volumes in its network over the past couple of years, it would have little problem filling the new capacity.
“We see 7% market share in east-west trades …

The post Buoyant HMM unveils ambitious market...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/buoyant-hmm-unveils-ambitious-market-share-target-new-ulcvs/

2020 low sulphur regulations could be ‘the saviour’ of container shipping

The IMO’s 0.5% sulphur cap, to be imposed in January 2020, could be a “blessing in disguise” for shipping lines, should the regulatory fallout finally end the industry’s elusive search for supply and demand balance.
However, any benefits will not materialise without short-term pain, according to analysts speaking today at the Asia Logistics & Maritime Conference in Hong Kong.
“IMO 2020 could be very helpful in terms of supply,” said McKinsey & …

The post 2020 low sulphur regulations could be...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/2020-low-sulphur-regulations-saviour-container-shipping/

More blanked sailings on the cards as carriers fail to lift Asia-Europe spot rates

Despite blanking 11 sailings this month, carriers have so far failed in their efforts to lift freight rates between Asia and North Europe.
And with bunker prices some 40% higher than a year ago, the tradelane is in potentially sub-economic territory.
Fortunately for ocean carriers, their transpacific trades are enjoying a post-peak season boom ahead of punitive 25% import tariffs due to be imposed by the US on a wide range of …

The post More blanked sailings on the cards as carriers fail to lift...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/blanked-sailings-cards-carriers-fail-lift-asia-europe-spot-rates/

Another record year for Antwerp as container volumes continue to grow

Container volumes continue to grow at unprecedented rates at North Europe’s busiest ports, with Antwerp on course for a sixth successive record year.
In the nine months to September, the Belgian port saw its box volumes climb 6.7% year on year to more than 8.3m teu.
Chief executive Jacques Vandermeiren said: “2018 is already a peak year, not only because of the record figure we can present, but also because of the wave …

The post Another record year for Antwerp as container volumes continue to...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/another-record-year-antwerp-container-volumes-continue-grow/

Mixed fortunes for OOCL in Q3 as liftings and revenues rise, but so do costs

OOCL increased carryings by 6.9%, year on year, in the third quarter, to 1.7m teu, while improving turnover by 7%, to $1.56bn.
However, the carrier experienced sharply contrasting fortunes on its transpacific and Asia-Europe tradelanes.
The quarterly operational numbers from parent Orient Overseas International, now majority-owned by Cosco Shipping, are seen as an early guide to the performance of the carrier’s liner industry peers, which will report their third-quarter results in the coming...

https://theloadstar.co.uk/mixed-fortunes-oocl-q3-liftings-revenues-rise-costs/

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