CANADA/NORTH EUROPE CONFERENCES RAISE WESTBOUND RATES

CANADA/NORTH EUROPE CONFERENCES RAISE WESTBOUND RATES    Conference carriers in the Canada/north Europe trades have notified shippers of a plan to increase westbound rates.
   The move follows the westbound rate hikes announced by the Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement carriers.
   The Canada U.K. and Canadian North Atlantic Westbound Freight Conferences and the Canadian Continental Eastbound and Westbound Freight Conferences said that their westbound rates will go up by $159 (United States dollars) per 20-foot container and $318 per 40-foot box, effective March 1.
   The carriers of the Canada/north Europe conferences are Atlantic Container Line, Canada Maritime, Cast, Hapag-Lloyd and Orient Overseas Container Line.
   The Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement said last Tuesday that member carriers would implement increases in tariff rates of $400 per 20-foot container, $500 per 40-foot container, and $25 weight measure, effective April 1.