General CB News

Baltic Feeder Max pooling project is abandoned

The much-discussed plans to pool a large number of German-owned container feeder vessels, in order to consolidate the supply side of the market and unilaterally push for higher charter rates, seems to be off the table. According to German media reports, the scheme not only faced fierce opposition from potential charterers, but also raised eyebrows at the European Commission. The EU Department for fair competition recently announced that it had classified the proposed pooling arrangement as ‘questionable’ from an anti-trust perspective. The Commission subsequently signalled that it would launch an investigation into the matter.

In the light of the EU’s announcement, the promoters of the vessel pooling scheme, which has become known as ‘Baltic Feeder Max’ project, thus decided to drop their plans. A spokesperson for the Deutsche Schiffsbank, one of the Baltic Feeder Max stakeholders, this week told the press that the project had ‘failed’ and that the plan would no longer be pursued. Originally, more than 350 vessels of about 40 individual owners were earmarked to join the container ship pool.

Source: Axs-AlphaLiner

Brito wants 300% extra at Santos

Brazilian Port Minister Pedro Brito declared yesterday that the country’s leading port of Santos would need to see container handling capacity increase by 300% over the next 15 years time and a major expansion plan is now necessary.

Speaking at the Concais Cruise Terminal, during the official publication of an 11-month BRL1.3 million (USD700,000) study he said that it would become the blueprint for the next expansion phase that will take Santos up to the year 2024.

The study complements one carried out by port authority Codesp, into the road and rail links in and around the port areas. This is already being acted on and a ring road is currently being constructed to help take trucks into the port area sooner, and away from the highways used by the public.

Brito [pictured] said: ‘Between now and 2024 we are going to see a jump in container capacity from 3 million TEU per annum up to 9 million TEU. Therefore we need to consolidate Santos as the hub port for Brazil.’

Source: Containerisation International

Carrier News

New Asia/East Med service to be launched in May

Following PR News Service Exclusive Newsflash Copy 6454, December 20th 2009, in which we first reported that Hanjin, together with three other lines were planning to launch a new Asia/East Med (EMD) service, we can now confirm that service will be launched in early May from Pusan

Hanjin is expected to be the leading vessel deployer with three of the necessary eight vessels, Evergreen with two, and Hyundai (HMM) and UASC with one apiece

The remaining vessel deployment is not confirmed

Average weekly capacity will be around 3,000 teu, and this will be the first new Asia/Med service introduced for over a year

The first westbound sailing is expected to be made from Pusan on May 4th by the 3,017 teu Hanjin Lima

Port rotation is expected to run : Pusan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Port Said, Beirut, Mersin, Izmir, Piraeus, Koper, Rijeka, Venice, Port Said, Colombo, Singapore, Pusan

Source: PR News

Service and Capacity Change

CSAV Norasia expands feeder network in Gulf

CSAV Norasia is to increase its coverage of the Middle East/Gulf trade, by introducing its own feeder service to link Jebel Ali with Dammam, Kuwait and Bahrain

Following our news report Copy 6523, February 3rd in which it was reported CSAV Norasia is expanding its coverage of the Black Sea with its own feeder service, the line is now turning its attention to the Gulf with the same approach

Starting from Week 8, CSAV Norasia will run its own dedicated feeder service known simply as the Intra Gulf Service, to cover Jebel Ali, Dammam, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jebel Ali deploying the 1,216 teu Jock Rickmers to run the weekly fixed-day shuttle

Over Jebel Ali, CSAV Norasia will move cargo handled on the Super Galex service connecting with the Far East, the IMEX service covering Europe, and the Marco Polo serving the Middle East/ISC/South Africa and East coast South America trade

Source: PR News

Wan Hai and PIL to re-launch Asia/N.Europe service

Wan Hai and PIL are understood to be about to re-launch their FES service between Asia and northern Europe. Withdrawn in December 08, it called at Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Port Klang, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Aden, Port Klang, Singapore and Shanghai. Customers have been sounded out, and an official announcement is expected shortly.

The only difference appears to be that nine vessels averaging 4,250TEU are now envisaged instead of eight, meaning that it will be slower. Since the withdrawal of the service both carriers have been chartering slots from Coscon.

They must be encouraged by rising freight rate levels and cargo volumes. According to CI’s freight rate records, the average westbound freight rate from Asia to the whole of Europe in Q4 09 was 23% above that of Q3 09, which was 15% above Q2 09, but much ground still needs to be made up to get back to the rate levels achieved in the same periods of 2008.

Source: Containerisation International

Surcharge

APL hikes India rates

APL has announced a series of General Rate Increases (GRI’s) for the India trade

For cargo moving westbound on the India/North Europe trade, the GRI will be US$600/feu, while there will be an US$800/feu increase for cargo on the India/Mediterranean, both effective from March 1st

On the China/India trade, a GRI of US$50/teu and US$100/feu will be implemented from February 3rd

Source: PR News

Latest rates & surcharges

Evergreen has announced a General Rate Increase (GRI) of US$300/teu, US$600/feu and US$800/40ft HC for the westbound Asia/Europe and Asia/Mediterranean trades

Effective date : March 1st

Separately, Hapag-Lloyd is applying a Equipment Imbalance Surcharge (EIS) for positioning of equipment to Asia

The EIS is being applied to westbound cargo moving from East Asia/excluding

Taiwan) from February 5th, and from Taiwan from March 1st to both North Europe and the Mediterranean areas

The EIS in both cases will be US$125/teu

Source: PR News

Source: American Shipper