By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) - London Gateway is to lose one of its much-prized Asia-Europe services next year after THE Alliance partners unveiled their network plans for 2018. The grouping’s five Asia-North Europe services will remain largely unchanged, other than in the UK where one call has been switched from London Gateway to Southampton. However, the switch … [Read more...]
Lack of Ultra-Large Containerships Could Cost THE Alliance Members
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - THE Alliance could find itself on the wrong side of a $500 per teu cost differential on the key Asia-North Europe trade due to its members’ failure to order more ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs), according to new analysis from Alphaliner,. Recently confirmed orders for nine 22,000 teu ULCVs by CMA CGM (Ocean Alliance) and 11 similar … [Read more...]
U.S. Federal Maritime Commission Applauds THE Alliance’s $50 Million Contingency Plan
By Gavin van Marle (The Loadstar) The US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) yesterday approved THE Alliance’s plan for a $50m contingency fund in case one of its members becomes insolvent or suffers serious “financial distress”. Each of THE Alliance’s members – Hapag-Lloyd, MOL, NYK, K line and Yang Ming – are to contribute an initial $1m and a further $9m in “additional … [Read more...]
Shippers Draw Up Contingency Plans as New Shipping Alliances Launch
By Gavin van Marle & Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - As the new alliance structure prepares to get underway tomorrow, with the Ocean and THE alliances launching services, shippers and forwarders are preparing for the possibility of severe supply chain disruption. The drawing up of contingency plans was in part due to a growing sense of unease that shipping lines did not … [Read more...]
THE Alliance Draws Up Plan to Protect Group from Member Bankruptcy
By Mike Wackett (The Loadstar) - THE Alliance is to set up an independently managed trust fund to safeguard cargo operations should one of its liner shipping group members go bankrupt. Hapag-Lloyd, Yang Ming, K Line, MOL and NYK said today they had finalised their network details ahead of THE Alliance launch on 1 April, and within the vessel sharing agreement (VSA) was a … [Read more...]