One of the world's largest containerships docked at the EUROGATE Container Terminal in Wilhelmshaven, Germany on Monday during its maiden voyage from China to Northern Europe. The 21,413 TEU OOCL Germany was constructed at the Samsung Heavy Industries in Geoje, South Korea and delivered to OOCL in August. It is the second of six 21 thousand TEU class vessels on order at the … [Read more...]
Peak Season a Let-Down for China-US Carriers as Ocean Rates Continue to Slide
By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) - After eight consecutive weeks of declining spot freight rates on the headhaul legs between China and the US, the remainder of this year’s peak season is set to be worse for carriers than the corresponding period in 2016. According to the Freightos International Freight Index, last year’s peak season was in three phases, beginning with a … [Read more...]
Outlook Gloomy for Container Shipping as Rates Continue to Slide
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - Container spot rates from Asia to North Europe slumped below $700 per teu this week, losing a further 3.9% in value. They now stand at $686 per teu, while for Mediterranean ports, rates slid 5.8% to $652 per teu. In January freight rates per teu for both were in excess of $1,000. The return of the Shanghai Containerized Freight … [Read more...]
Charter Market Provides a Welcome Boost for Owners of Smaller Containerships
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - Owners of smaller containerships, with limited exposure to the volatile deepsea east-west trades, are enjoying increases in daily hire rates and enquiries for time extensions. According to the latest Alphaliner report. the container charter market is “evolving in a split way”, with vessels of 3,000 teu and under “enjoying brisk demand with an … [Read more...]
Digitization Won’t Provide the Predicted Revolution in Container Shipping, Says Alphaliner
By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) - Predictions that the current crop of disruptive digital start-ups will revolutionize container shipping has been disputed by a leading liner analyst. Alphaliner this week suggested that, despite the considerable hype and hundreds of millions of dollars raised by freight and logistics start-ups in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, evidence … [Read more...]
CMA CGM to Acquire South Pacific Shipping Line SOFRANA Unilines
French shipping company CMA CGM has announced an agreement to acquire a majority stake in SOFRANA Unilines, one of the key players in the South Pacific regional maritime trade. SOFRANA Unilines operates a fleet of 10 vessels on eight tradelanes, servicing 21 ports in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific islands. The acquisition will be made through CMA … [Read more...]
Hapag-Lloyd Fleet ‘Complete’ as Latest UASC Newbuild ULCV is Delivered
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - Hapag-Lloyd has taken delivery of the last of 17 ULCVs ordered by UASC in 2013 as “some of the greenest and largest container vessels in the world”. The 15,000 teu Al Jmeliyah was part of an order of six 19,900 teu and 11 15,000 teu ULCVs from South Korean shipyard Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The $2bn order was for the first … [Read more...]