Category: China

Optimism in signs that the equipment shortage crisis might improve after Chinese New Year, have been dealt a blow with the surprise announcement of blanked Asia to UK sailings, despite it being widely reported that carriers would not be using this tactic this year. 2M alliance members Maersk a... Read more

In a customer advisory last week we outlined the current situation and challenges in relation to the inbound ocean freight container trade from Asia (China, Far East, South East Asia and The Indian Subcontinent) into The UK and Europe. We highlighted the unprecedented challenges in Asia regard... Read more

As consumer demand for Asian-made goods rebounded in the second half of 2020, the shipping lines decision to remove capacity by idling vessels and stop replenishing container supplies, had an almost instant impact on freight rates with the unbalanced sea freight supply and demand equation driving... Read more

As Metro reported in last week’s supply chain bulletin, the availability of container equipment has become the primary supply chain issue for shippers and importers from China and Asia in general.  The lack of equipment is a key issue impacting both rates and supply chains across Asia, ... Read more

As the Asia peak season rumbles on and the carriers struggle to meet demand, cargo rollovers are increasing at the busiest transhipment ports. After a global decline in rollovers during September, the average container rollover rate at leading transshipment ports rose in October. This time ... Read more

The United States Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), the body responsible for the regulation of ocean carriers and intermediaries, is intensifying its monitoring of shipping alliance activity on the trans-Pacific and trans-Atlantic trades. Citing market fluctuations, the FMC’s regulators are... Read more

Reuters report shows how global container shipping rates have surged to record levels due to spikes in restocking demand in the United States and Europe, container scarcity at export hubs, and changes in freight flows because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Freightos Baltic Global Container I... Read more

The lack of container equipment at Asian origins is so severe that carriers are leaving export cargo on the quay, to ship empty containers back from Europe and the United States. The container shortages are so acute, particularly at the Chinese ports of Qingdao, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Shanghai, t... Read more

The Lunar New Year 2019 or Spring Festival, is the biggest Chinese celebration of the year, taking place 3rd to 9th February, with its usual profound impact on supply chains. Factories, offices and other workplaces will be closed for the entire week of Chinese New Year, with most Chinese trave... Read more