Freight volumes have returned to pre-epidemic levels, but there is no end to liner surcharges! CCTV: Companies suspend taking orders!

A few days ago, shipping consulting agency Alphaliner conducted a survey of seven major shipping companies. The survey showed that freight volume dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2021 and has returned to pre-epidemic levels, suspending growth in the first two quarters.

Compared with the first quarter of 2020, the freight volume of the seven shipping companies that provided data for the survey dropped by an average of 6% in the first quarter. The seven shipping companies surveyed are: COSCO Shipping, Maersk, CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Yangming Shipping, HMM and Star Shipping.

Except for Star Shipping, the freight volume of several other shipping companies has dropped to roughly the same level as in the fourth quarter of 2019 (the last quarter before the global outbreak). Among them, the freight volume of HMM and COSCO SHIPPING dropped by about 10%. %.

Alphaliner wrote in the investigation: "This trend may be surprising because the shipping industry's freight rates have soared to a high level, and even attracted the attention of antitrust agencies."

Alphaliner pointed out that one possible explanation for the contradiction between record high freight rates and declining freight volumes is that the epidemic continues to pose challenges to global supply chains.

Freight volumes have returned to pre-epidemic levels, but there is no end to liner surcharges! CCTV: The companies that broke the cabin and rushed to rush to suspend the order!

Port congestion, liner delays, shortage of containers, blockage of the Suez Canal, and the outbreak of the Yantian Port have severely affected the efficiency of the global supply chain. Compared with before the epidemic, carriers had to use more capacity to transport the same amount. goods.

However, despite the huge additional costs associated with increasing tonnage, the net income of shipping companies is still driven by soaring freight rates caused by tight supply and demand. Alphaliner added that when the shipping company announces its results next month, it expects its second-quarter profit to break records.

In fact, shipping companies are riding a huge wave of profitability. For example, since November last year, spot prices on Asia-Europe routes have soared by more than 500%. In addition, there are also various surcharges that shipping companies continue to collect, such as PSS, HLC, VAD, CFD, PCS, CIC... it seems like there is no end.

As Souhang.com reported yesterday, starting in August, shipping companies will levy a new round of surcharges. (A new round of surcharges is coming! Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk and other shipping companies have announced price increases again!)

▪ Lost cabin fee

Gaoli Shipping stated that due to serious false bookings, it will charge a loss fee for bookings that are not shipped normally after the booking is confirmed: 300RMB/UNIT

▪ Peak season surcharge PSS

From August 1st, Hapag-Lloyd features a peak season surcharge for Australia, which is USD 1,000 per 40-foot container

▪ Value-added surcharge VAD

Starting from August 15th, Hapag-Lloyd’s characteristics will receive a value-added surcharge of USD 5,000/box for the US line

▪ Port congestion charge

From July 26, Maersk will levy Tunisian Port Congestion Charge (CFD), 20'200 US dollars

From August 5th, Mason Lines has once again increased the port congestion charge (PCS) of US$2,000 per container to US West Port, reaching US$3,600 per container.

▪ Port plug fee CGS

Starting from September 1, MSC will levy port congestion fees for the US-Canada line: USD 800/20DV, USD 1000/40DV, USD 1125/40HC, USD 1266/45’.

▪ Unbalanced surcharge CIC

From August 27th, Sinotrans will adjust the imbalance surcharge of 20'/20000JPY on Japanese routes.

▪ Delivery fee DDC

From August 1st, Star Shipping will impose a DDC of USD 1,000/container on cargo whose destination ports are Los Angeles and Tacoma

Robert Keen, Director General of the British International Freight Association (BIFA), said: "In the past few years, we have seen fuel surcharges, surcharges caused by container imbalances, peak season surcharges and surcharges caused by currency fluctuations. Just this week. , A global port authority announced that it will charge an energy transition fee of £5 per box for imported goods. The number of surcharges and handling fees has been increasing, often without a real explanation or reason."

Freight volumes have returned to pre-epidemic levels, but there is no end to liner surcharges! CCTV: The companies that broke the cabin and rushed to rush to suspend the order!