MSC hikes Pacific, Atlantic US rates from September

GENEVA's Mediterranean Shipping Company has announced rate increases to take effect at various times through September and October for US cargo on Pacific and Atlantic routes.

Increases range from US$500 per FEU westbound from the EU to the US to $120 per TEU on goods from the US to Asia. They also include an additional $500 per FEU for EU-US bound boxes and $400 per TEU, as well as $250 per FEU and $125 per TEU on Israel-to-US cargo.

US-Asia rates will rise $150 per FEU and $120 per TEU on September 5 on all cargo, excluding reefers, moving through west coast and east coast and Gulf Coast ports.

Reefer rates will increase $250 per FEU and $190 per TEU on west coast trades to Asia and $300 per FEU and $225 per TEU on east coast and Gulf Coast reefers bound for Asia.

The final increase comes on October 1 on US-bound shipments from Italy, Spain and Portugal to the US that will rise $300 per FEU and $300 per TEU.

MSC, the world's second largest container carrier after Maersk, joins Maersk, OOCL, Hanjin, CMA CGM, Evergreen and others in increasing rates recently. MSC operates 413 vessels totalling 1.52 million TEU.

(Source: www.schednet.com))