The decline in global transport demand continues due to weak demand

The slump in global transport demand continues due to weak demand, forcing liner companies including Maersk and MSC to continue cutting capacity. The spate of blanked sailings from Asia to northern Europe has led some shipping lines to operate "ghost ships" on trade routes.

Alphaliner reported this week that only one container ship "MSC Alexandra" with a capacity of 14,036 TeU is currently in operation on the 2M alliance's AE1/Shogun route. The AE1/Shogun route, on the other hand, deployed 11 ships with an average capacity of 15,414 TeU during the 77-day round trip, according to shipping industry data analysis firm eeSea. (Typically, the route deployed 11 ships with capacities ranging from 13,000 to 20,00teU.)

Alphaliner said the 2M alliance's capacity management strategy in response to falling demand and an expected slow season after the Chinese New Year was to focus on two of the six Asia-Nordic routes, including cutting four AE55/Griffin flights and eliminating the AE1/Shogun route. MSC Alexandra is scheduled to arrive at Felixstowe, Felixstowe, on 5 January this week at 10:00 hours, as the UK port is not part of the AE1/Shogun rotation.

Against the backdrop of extremely weak demand forecasts, shipping lines are preparing to cancel about half of their scheduled voyages from Asia to northern Europe and the US after the Chinese New Year on January 22.

Shenzhen Xunlaitong specializes in shipping export from Shenzhen to Australia & New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands and more business

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