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Rebound in Asia-W Africa trade prompts carriers to launch 2 new services
SHIPPING lines have reacted to the upturn in demand on the Asia-West African trade by introducing two new fortnightly services, according to international shipping and container traffic consultant, Drewry.
The first, the joint WAX2/FEW5 operated by Maersk Line and CMA CGM, was re-launched after being suspended in February when it was a weekly operation. The WAX2/FEW5 will be operated by six 4,200 TEU vessels instead of 10 x 4,700 TEU ships previously. The port rotation is: Nansha, Singapore, Tin Can, Apapa, Cotonou, Singapore, Nansha.
The second new service comes from Cosco and Gold Star Line (owned by Zim) in the form of the WAX5/FA3 loop. It will use the same number and size ships as the WAX2/FEW5. The port rotation is: Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Durban, Tin Can, Tema, returning to Ningbo.
"The net impact from these two new operations is that the total number of available southbound Asia to West Africa slots will be approximately five per cent greater in October than in the same month one year ago," Drewry was cited as saying in a report by Ibadan's Nigerian Tribune.
According to Drewry's latest Container Insight Weekly Report, "container volumes during the second quarter of 2017 in the southbound Asia to West Africa registered their first positive year-on-year comparison since the final three months of 2014.
"Shipments in 2017 reached 330,500 TEU, according to Container Trades Statistics Ltd. (CTS), worth a three per cent gain on the same period last year. This follows a minor decline of 0.3 per cent in an upwardly revised first quarter (previously -14 per cent), putting the first-half growth rate at 1.4 per cent as volumes landed just shy of 600,000 TEU."
Drewry added: "It will take longer for the average monthly TEU count to reach anything like the recent high of 125,000 TEU (February 2015) but as the comparisons get easier the growth change will inevitably move towards the neutral line and beyond."
The first, the joint WAX2/FEW5 operated by Maersk Line and CMA CGM, was re-launched after being suspended in February when it was a weekly operation. The WAX2/FEW5 will be operated by six 4,200 TEU vessels instead of 10 x 4,700 TEU ships previously. The port rotation is: Nansha, Singapore, Tin Can, Apapa, Cotonou, Singapore, Nansha.
The second new service comes from Cosco and Gold Star Line (owned by Zim) in the form of the WAX5/FA3 loop. It will use the same number and size ships as the WAX2/FEW5. The port rotation is: Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Durban, Tin Can, Tema, returning to Ningbo.
"The net impact from these two new operations is that the total number of available southbound Asia to West Africa slots will be approximately five per cent greater in October than in the same month one year ago," Drewry was cited as saying in a report by Ibadan's Nigerian Tribune.
According to Drewry's latest Container Insight Weekly Report, "container volumes during the second quarter of 2017 in the southbound Asia to West Africa registered their first positive year-on-year comparison since the final three months of 2014.
"Shipments in 2017 reached 330,500 TEU, according to Container Trades Statistics Ltd. (CTS), worth a three per cent gain on the same period last year. This follows a minor decline of 0.3 per cent in an upwardly revised first quarter (previously -14 per cent), putting the first-half growth rate at 1.4 per cent as volumes landed just shy of 600,000 TEU."
Drewry added: "It will take longer for the average monthly TEU count to reach anything like the recent high of 125,000 TEU (February 2015) but as the comparisons get easier the growth change will inevitably move towards the neutral line and beyond."
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