While nearly half of maritime companies disappeared in 2016, survivors are trying to resist …
They come together in mega alliances, representing almost all major maritime lines.
In a context of strong competition and ever lower freight rates, shipowners have moved from a system of four alliances to three.
A look back at these events that will affect the shipping lines over the next few years.
The economic weight of maritime alliances
The two global leaders, Danish Maersk Line and Italian MSC, joined forces by the end of 2014 within the alliance “2M“. The world’s number three, French CMA CGM, has chosen to make an alliance with the Chinese Cosco and Evergreen and Hong Kong-based OOCL, forming the “Ocean Alliance“. Finally, a third alliance known as “The Alliance” now comprises the German company Hapag-Lloyd, the Japanese K Line, Mitsui O.S.K Lines and Nippon Yusen Kaish, and the Taiwanese Yang Ming.
These three alliances represent 95% of East-West maritime flows and are highly likely to form an oligopoly, with inevitable consequences on rates and choices available. The first instances of turbulence won’t have to wait with a worrying shortage of loading capacity from Europe to Asia and a staggering hike in the associated rates. This market disruption has recently been denounced jointly by the TLF federation of freight forwarders and that of shippers, the AUTF.
Chartering a vessel with CERL
In this complicated context that penalises their customers, the teams at CERL are doubling their efforts and relying strong partnerships with shipyards to minimize as far as possible cost constraints and time limits demanded by the market.
These new logistics schemes must benefit CERL’s clients and our teams are working to accompany you in all these evolutions. CERL selects for you the most suitable solution with the best prices!
- Less-than-a-container load
- Conventional maritime freight
- Standard container (20′ or 40′)
- Specific container (excluding jig, refrigeration, tanks, IMDG, etc.)
CERL, a customized maritime transport offer
CERL responds to all your needs: chartering with coordination and supervision for loading and unloading operations, transport of rolling stock or even the handling goods in in-gauge and out-of-gauge containers. Our chartering solutions have no volume, weight or country limits, and we transport your freight according to a strict QHSE policy (Quality, Health, Safety, Environment).
Moreover, during the course of the operations, our teams ensures a follow-up and a total transparency of the logistic operations thanks to our tools of steering and coordination.
