In the aftermath of Chinese New Year, carriers are busier than ever. Vessels are full to capacity for the coming weeks, both for import as well as export shipments. This applies to practically all trade lanes, though the most affected areas are the Middle East and the Far East. Carriers have cancelled several vessels, and created so called âblank sailingsâ. As a consequence containers are being left behind in several ports and this backlog is now causing severe space restrictions. The lack of space is also caused by the bankruptcy of carrier Hanjin. The limited capacity is putting seafreight rates under pressure as well. The carriers have all announced rate increases as from March 1. We would like to recommend you to place your bookings well in advance, or wherever possible, advise us of your schedule. We will always try to get you the earliest possible sailing, for the best rate! |