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.
TRANSPACIFIC CARRIERS PLAN RISES IN WESTBOUND REEFER RATES
TRANSPACIFIC CARRIERS PLAN RISES IN WESTBOUND REEFER RATES
