KOREA's Port of Busan
will be hit by a 3.5 per cent cargo decline from 2017 onward because of Hanjin
Shipping's demise and the coming of two new shipping alliances, according to
Korea Maritime Institute.
Busan Port handled 10 million TEU in 2015, of which the Asia-North America
trade lanes accounted for 36.7 per cent of total volume, while Asia-Europe
shipping routes made up 6.7 per cent. The Institute's report forecast that
freight volume on these two trade routes combined would shrink by 350,000 TEU,
reported Hellenic Shipping News.
USUALLY dour Drewry
Maritime Research analysts have been suggesting that there could be a "new
golden age for container line profitability", reports London's Loadstar.
Conditions are improving for carrier profitability for those surviving the
latest round of the mergers and acquisitions (M&A), according to the London
research house, reported Lloyd's Loading List.
THE International Air
Transport Association (IATA) has issued 10 New Year cargo resolutions for the
global air cargo industry as adoption of the electronic air waybill (e-AWB)
missed the 2016 target.
Penetration of e-AWB reached 48.9 per cent in December 2016, with a 682,664
digital documents on feasible trade lanes, again falling short of the full-year
target of 56 per cent.
THE South Carolina
Ports Authority (SCPA) is extending gate hours at the Wando Welch Terminal and
North Charleston Terminal last Saturday, as well as Monday and Tuesday.
"Truckers and other customers are encouraged to take advantage of the
extended hours to assist with the movement of cargo," said the port
authority.
Last week automation appeared to spark an International Longshoremen's
Association (ILA) slowdown that brought the terminal to a "stand
still".
THE International Air
Transport Association (IATA) has warned that the air cargo industry faces
threats of stagnant world trade and protectionism despite last year's market
growth which reached a record high.
Traffic, measured in freight tonne kilometres, rose by 3.8 per cent last year,
nearly double the average growth rate of 2 per cent over the past five years,
but trailed the 5.3 per cent increase in freight capacity, according to IATA.
The members of the
Ocean Alliance (CMA CGM, COSCO, Evergreen, OOCL) and THE Alliance (Hapag-Lloyd,
MOL, NYK, K Line, Yang Ming) have unveiled their final port selections for the
new east-west services starting in April.
Both alliances already published rotations of their new services in November,
but still had to make some final choices, especially for the UK.
