Trans-Pacific Maritime
Special Report
Opportunities for new relationships
Carriers and forwarders say the uncertainties facing global shipping — including changes among alliance carriers , the possibility of shipping ’ s return to the Suez Canal and the rollout of tariffs by the Trump administration — have created an environment in which both parties should consider updating their relationships .
“ Our NAC accounts are still the same [ until May 1 ], but
Some container lines get 80 % of their business from 20 % of their customers . Shutterstock . com
we ’ ve started to look at the new market and the individual carriers ,” said Rachel Shames , vice president of pricing and procurement at the forwarder CV International .
In the general trans-Pacific market , NVOs seem to be looking at the Premier Alliance carriers of Ocean Network Express , Yang Ming and HMM as liners that are receptive to freight tendered by smaller forwarders , Shames said .
Carriers and NVOs say the new Gemini Cooperation alliance between Maersk Line and Hapag-Lloyd has raised some uncertainties among shippers with its hub-andspoke network designed to improve on-time performance on major trade lanes . The concern is that secondary ports in Asia and the US could lose direct services or that transit times will increase , they say .
Other carriers view the alliance changes as an opportunity to attract new customers and additional cargo .
“ The alliance changes are causing some concern among shippers and NVOs ,” a fourth carrier source said . “ Some carriers could backfill their vessels from these customers .”
email : bill . mongelluzzo @ spglobal . com email : laura . robb @ spglobal . com
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