Food exports to China have ‘gone from overdrive to near standstill’

For many perishables exporters and their logistics providers in the Americas, China has turned from an Eldorado into a nightmare.
Capacity has shrivelled up to a fraction of previous lift, and rates are headed for the stratosphere. Reefer capacity is in even worse shape, but these horrors pale in the face of the collapse that the market has suffered in the wake of the Covid-19 virus epidemic.
China has been the biggest …

The post Food exports to China have ‘gone from overdrive to near standstill’

https://theloadstar.com/food-exports-to-china-have-gone-from-overdrive-to-near-standstill/

Spot rates hold fairly steady as carriers get ready to surcharge

Container spot rates from China fell slightly this week, as carriers decided it was futile to discount cargo that is currently unavailable.
Moreover, container lines are receiving numerous booking enquiries for the end of March onwards and are understood to be considering a peak season surcharge (PSS) from 1 April.
The North Europe component of the Shanghai Containerized Freight Index (SCFI) edged down by 1.8% this week to $834 per teu while …

The post Spot rates hold fairly steady as carriers...

https://theloadstar.com/spot-rates-hold-steady-as-carriers-get-ready-to-surcharge/

Charters may ‘insulate’ shipowners from the effect of coronavirus

Containership owner Seaspan had a good year in 2019, as its fleet of 112 vessels enjoyed improving charter rates and extended time charters with its ocean carrier clients.
Seaspan rode on a ‘win-win’ ticket of a shortage of tonnage due to the vast number of ships being dry-docked for scrubber installations, and thus was in the driving seat for charter party negotiations.
Carriers are now in big trouble due to the coronavirus …

The post Charters may ‘insulate’ shipowners from the effect of...

https://theloadstar.com/charters-may-insulate-shipowners-from-the-effect-of-coronavirus/

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