In another bid to prop up sliding freight rates on this overcrowded key lane, the G6 Alliance is voiding five additional sailings in the Asia-Europe trade during what is regarded as the peak season, saying this is “in response to changes in market demand.”
The alliance said the following void sailings are planned for the subsequent services and weeks: Loop 6 service, westbound on October 29, November 26, and December 24, 2015; Loop 7 service, westbound on November 2 and November 30; Loop 4 service, westbound November 13 and December 11; Loop 5 service, westbound on November 20 and December 18; and Loop 1 service, westbound January 2, 2016.
Void is Loop 6, westbound ETA Fuzhou, October 29, November 26, and December 24, 2015. Kaohsiung will be added as a westbound call, while Jebel Ali will be inserted on the eastbound leg of Loop 7. The westbound Colombo and Xiamen calls will be added into Loop 4.
Loop 7—westbound ETA Qingdao on November 2 and November 30—will have Qingdao added to Loop 4 on the westbound leg in the corresponding week, while Gdansk, Gothenburg, and Antwerp calls will be covered by Loop 5 on the eastbound direction during the same timeframe.
Loop 4 service, westbound ETA Ningbo November 13 and December 11, will feature the westbound Le Havre call covered by Loop 6 in the respective week.
Loop 5 service (westbound ETA Kwangyang November 20 and December 18) is null. The westbound Kwangyang and Pusan calls will be added in Loops 7 in the respective week.
Finally, Loop 1 service, with westbound ETA Kobe January 2, 2016, is likewise blanked.
The G6 Alliance members are APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and Orient Overseas Container Line.
Emergency rate hike
As this developed, Hapag-Lloyd announced another rate hike attempt to take effect from September 21.
The German box liner said the planned emergency rate increase it is attributing to “the unsustainable rate levels on the Asia to Europe trade” will cover all cargoes and container types on the Far East westbound trade.
The increase will be US$550 per TEU, applicable for all shipments from East Asia (excluding Japan) to all North Europe and Mediterranean destinations.
North Europe is comprised of the Northwest Continent, the UK, Scandinavia, Baltic, and the European ports of Russia. The Mediterranean consists of the West Mediterranean, East Mediterranean, Black Sea, and North Africa.
East Asia covers Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, and the Russian Pacific Ports of Vladivostok and Vostochny.
Photo: Robot Brainz
