MOL liner on-time performance improves in Q4

MOL liner on-time performance improves in Q4
   Liner carrier MOL said Wednesday its on-time schedule performance on the three major east/west trades improved in the final quarter of 2010.
   The on-time performance rates by trade on services in which MOL provides vessels were:
   ' Asia/U.S. West Coast services to 99 percent in the fourth quarter from 95 percent in the third quarter.
   ' Asia/U.S. East Coast, to 83 percent from 76 percent.
   ' Transatlantic, to 85 percent from 83 percent.
   ' Asia/Europe, to 94 percent from 91 percent.
   Overall on-time performance — including sailings in which MOL sells capacity but does not provide vessels — was roughly the same, with slightly better on-time performance on Asia/U.S. East Coast services and slightly worse performance in the Asia/U.S. West Coast and Asia/Europe trades.
   For the April-December period on services in which MOL provides vessels, on-time performance was 91 percent on the Asia/U.S. West Coast lane, 73 percent Asia/U.S. East Coast, 87 percent transatlantic, and 94 percent Asia/Europe.
   The line measures a sailing to be on time if it arrives within 24 hours of the originally scheduled arrival time. MOL measured 23 services in its east/west trade network, including about 870 sailings.
   Severe winter weather in Europe and occasional strikes in France have affected services calling in European ports compared with the previous July-September quarter, the line said.
   “Whether it is in our favor or not, MOL will openly share the information of on-time arrival with our valued customers and keep challenging towards high quality services including punctuality and information sharing,” said, T.K. Konishi, chief operating officer of the company's liner division.
   MOL's partner in the New World Alliance, APL, has also been issuing regular updates on its on-time performance. ' Eric Johnson