MSC adds Asia/Europe ?peak season? fee Feb. 1

MSC adds Asia/Europe æpeak seasonÆ fee Feb. 1    Mediterranean Shipping Co. said Monday it will charge a short-term 'peak season surcharge' on shipments from the Far East to Mediterranean and northern European ports in February.
   The charge, $100 per TEU, will apply to all containers whose bill of lading date falls during Feb. 1-20.
   Maritime news service Alphaliner said Monday that Asia/Europe capacity has dropped 11 percent from January 2009 to January 2010, to 311,000 TEUs of weekly capacity today from 351,000 TEU 12 months ago.
   American Shipper research affiliate ComPair Data has pegged the capacity figures between Asia and Europe at 331,000 TEUs on Jan. 1, 2009 and 306,000 TEUs on Jan. 1, 2010, according to ComPair Data's most recent World Liner Supply report.
   In any case, the effects of the space reduction are clear, particularly since demand is higher today than it was 12 months ago. Alphaliner has characterized the situation as a demand crunch, with reports of 10,000 TEUs being left behind each week in Asian ports since Christmas.
   'The tight space situation has led to several rounds of rate increases by carriers on the trade,' Alphaliner said in its weekly newsletter. 'The westbound peak season surcharge has also been extended or reintroduced for February — an unprecedented time for such a surcharge as February is traditionally the weakest month for the trade due to the holiday period in the Far East. Spot rates for the Far East/North Europe westbound sector have increased from a low of $250 per TEU (inclusive of surcharges) last year to $1,500 per TEU or higher currently.'