Newsletter – March 12, 2018

source: theloadstar.co.uk

Shippers and forwarders have urged Lufthansa Cargo to incentivise customers to digitalise through rewards rather than punishment, as it seeks to boost electronic air waybill (e-AWB) adoption.

From 2 April, the German flag-carrier will implement a €12 per paper air waybill fee for tradelanes on which eAWBs are available.  Read more here.

source: theloadstar.co.uk

OOCL’s parent company, Orient Overseas (International) Ltd (OOIL), returned to the black last year, posting a net profit of $138m after a loss of $219m in 2016.

OOIL published what is expected to be its last full-year results ahead of the $6bn acquisition of the carrier by Chinese state-owned Cosco Shipping and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).  Read more here (login required).

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source: theloadstar.co.uk

By Gavin van Marle 12/03/2018

CMA CGM has promised to put customer experience at the forefront of its services as it looks to differentiate itself from other carriers.

Speaking on the sidelines of the TPM event in Long Beach last week, the carrier’s senior vice president of commercial and agency network…Read more here (login required.

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source: splash247.com

In what is likely to be his final report comments as chairman of Hong Kong’s Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) CC Tung, a veteran of the box trades, has predicted a gradual recover, but no boom for the container sector.  Read more here.

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source: shippingazette.com

MORE than 100 major shippers and shipping firms have warned the east coast dockers union and waterfront employers that they will divert imports to the more tranquil west coast if stalled dock talks do not soon resume.

A coalition of beneficial cargo owners (BCOs), agribusinesses, logistics providers led by the National Retail Federation, “expressed deep concern” over the breakdown in talks between the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) and the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).

The two ended contract talks on December 6 over the definition of what constituted an “automated terminal”. The current master contract covering east and Gulf coast ports expires on September 30, noted IHS Media.

Last year, west coast employers agreed to extend the west coast waterfront contract to July 1, 2022. That gives BCOs four peak seasons without labour strife.

Cargo diversion is expected to accelerate as the September deadline approaches, reversing a trend of cargo increasingly opting for the east coast partly because of the newly expanded Panama Canal has reduced slot costs on that route.