HIGH slot utilisation on virtually all inbound Australian container trades has encouraged carriers to apply a raft of freight rate increases.
Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd is the latest line to advise of imminent increases, applying to imports from the Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent, South East Asia, and North & East Asia and from 1 October.
For the ME & ISC, which HLL defines as United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen; and Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, there will be increases of US$150/20’ and $300/40’ for all equipment types.
For SEA cargoes, which HLL classifies as those from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, rates will rise by the same amounts for all equipment types.
From the N&EA scope – Korea, China, China/Hong Kong, China/Macau and China/Taiwan – the increase will be double, at US$300/20’ and $600/40’.
HLL has also announced revised terminal handling charges for Australia and New Zealand.
The latest rises are amongst a spate of notifications from carriers.
From North Europe (excluding France) CMA CGM is applying a peak season surcharge (PSS) on dry cargo to Australia (US$200/20’, $400/40’) and NZ (US100/20’, $200/40’), from this Saturday (5 September). From 15 September Hapag-Lloyd is upping rates ex North Europe and the Mediterranean by up to US$300/20’ and $600/40’ for dry, reefer and specialised containers.
