Update 10 September 2013<\/p>\n
The \u2018Golden Week\u2019 is approaching fast and following the shipping carriers largely failed attempts to push through a general rates increase in September they are now looking towards the shut down and expected surge in demand as an opportunity to get an increase in rates through this approach<\/p>\n
Hapag-Lloyd has taken the lead in announcing a rate increase on the FE-Europe trade of $500\/teu to take effect on 23 September, just one week before the start of the National Day \u2018Golden Week\u2019 holidays\u00a0in China that begins from 1 October.<\/p>\n
The carriers are hoping for a surge in cargo bookings ahead of the holiday period to push through with the rate increase. However, any surge in volumes will be short-lived, as Chinese factories will close for\u00a0their week long holiday in early October which also coincides with the traditional start of the winter slack season.<\/p>\n
Several carriers have already announced skipped sailings in early October in anticipation of the slowdown in Chinese exports to Europe.<\/p>\n
A total of 8 China to North Europe sailings (out of 22 weekly sailings) are currently expected to be voided during the first two weeks of October.<\/p>\n
Last year, the number of skipped sailings reached 14 on the China to North Europe trade route<\/p>\n
Carriers have not yet announced any plans to cut capacity for the winter slack season this year. In 2012, Maersk, the G6 and CKYH carriers each withdrew one China to North Europe sailing in October.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Update 10 September 2013 The \u2018Golden Week\u2019 is approaching fast and following the shipping carriers largely failed attempts to push through a general rates increase in September they are now looking towards the shut down and expected surge in demand as an opportunity to get an increase in rates through this approach Hapag-Lloyd has taken […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64,11],"tags":[83,75,73,74,79,76,80,81,82,78,77],"class_list":["post-77","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international-trade","category-logistics-transportation","tag-belgium-shipping","tag-china-logisitics","tag-china-shipping","tag-china-shipping-news","tag-denmark-shipping","tag-europe-shipping-news","tag-ireland-shipping","tag-netherlands-shipping","tag-norway-shipping","tag-sweden-shipping","tag-uk-shipping"],"yoast_head":"\n