Shipping cargo volumes to rise by 8-9 pc

A UK-Based trade analyst expects Asia to Europe cargo volumes to go up by between eight and nine per cent this year as compared to 2010, but growth in the third quarter could stall to three per cent year-on-year, Exim News Service informs.


Experts have cautioned that such a slowdown in growth in the upcoming peak season may present "container lines with a need for very active capacity management to maintain stability in both the peak and slack seasons".


Slow steaming has absorbed all the ships that it can, they said, and with over 40 large capacity ships scheduled for delivery in 2011, or the equivalent of four new services on the Asia-Europe route, it could be a challenging period to utilise capacity.


As regards the transpacific trade between Asia and North America, analysts hold the view that it could only rise by one per cent this year compared to the earlier year, reported Containerisation International.
(Source:http://www.transportweekly.com)