TRANSPACIFIC CARRIERS PLAN RISES IN WESTBOUND REEFER RATES

   Shipping lines of the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement are planning to increase westbound Pacific rates for certain refrigerated cargoes.
   The increases, said to amount to approximately $300-per-container depending on the commodity, will be the first westbound rate rises in the transpacific westbound trade for more than a year. The westbound Pacific saw dramatic reductions in rate levels for dry and feeder cargoes over the past two years caused mainly by the Asian crisis.
   The amounts of the rate increases and their effective dates will vary according to commodity, origin and destination, seasonal and other factors, a spokesman for the Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement said.
   WTSA is a discussion agreement of 12 shipping lines that can make non-binding recommendations on rate increases. Actual increases are implemented on a voluntary basis by individual shipping lines, and are generally negotiated with shippers or non-vessel-operating common carriers.
   WTSA said that Asian economies are now recovering and demand for imports of fresh and chilled meat, fruit and vegetables from the U.S. to Asia is growing.
   WTSA carriers plan to raise westbound rates on frozen beef, pork, poultry, french fries, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, juice concentrates and other reefer cargoes, starting from Feb. 1. Rates for shipments of apples, citrus and grapes are also scheduled on Jan. 1.
   In a related move, WTSA said that its member lines are planning to raise rates for dry cargoes next year, but it provided no detailed information on the amount of the increases.
   Virtually all the major ocean carriers in the Pacific trade are members of the WTSA.