ComPair: Q1 U.S. export capacity rose moderately

ComPair: Q1 U.S. export capacity rose moderately    The Obama administration's new emphasis on U.S. exports has been complicated by U.S. shipper complaints in recent weeks of a lack of export capacity.
   New research from American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data shows westbound transpacific capacity has expanded moderately from the beginning of 2010, although more markedly on all-water services from the U.S. East Coast.
   According to ComPair Data's latest World Liner Supply report, weekly capacity from U.S. West Coast ports to Asia grew 0.2 percent from Jan. 1 to April 1 to 213,245 TEUs. From the U.S. East Coast to Asia, weekly capacity surged 15 percent to 78,385 TEUs.
   For U.S. exports to Asia, the CKYH Alliance maintains a strong share of capacity from both coasts, with 27.7 percent share of weekly space from the West Coast (up from 27.3 percent on Jan. 1) and 27.4 percent from the East Coast (down from 31.9 percent on Jan. 1).
   The New World Alliance has grown its share of all-water capacity to Asia from 9.2 percent to 13.7 percent. The NWA carriers also control the second-largest share of capacity on the West Coast to Asia lane.
   In other export markets, capacity from North America to northern Europe grew 1.2 percent from Jan. 1 to April 1 to 47,544 TEUs per week. From North America to the Mediterranean, it grew 1.8 percent to 31,514 TEUs per week.
   The Grand Alliance has a dominant share of capacity from North America to Northern Europe (39.4 percent, up from 38.4 percent on Jan. 1), largely due to the influence of Grand Alliance member Hapag-Lloyd, though those services are predominantly outside the scope of the alliance, which also includes OOCL and NYK Line.
   The quarterly World Liner Supply reports are designed to help ocean carriers, non-vessel-operating common carriers, forwarders, shippers, ports and analysts monitor competition and capacity trends in liner shipping.
   Capacity information over the quarter ending April 1 can be broken down by trade route, carrier, or alliance. Data can be compared to the previous quarter, with 28 routes available for analysis. Information is also provided on added or deleted services. The report identifies every vessel operating in a trade.
   Other highlights of the April 1 report:
   ' Capacity from Asia to the U.S. West Coast grew 2.8 percent from Jan. 1 to April 1, with market share changing little in the quarter.
   ' From Asia to the U.S. East Coast, weekly capacity grew 10.4 percent, with the CKYH Alliance's share eroding from 30.5 percent on Jan. 1 to 25.7 percent on April 1.
   ' The Grand Alliance (16.1 percent to 17.8 percent) and New World Alliance (7.8 percent to 13.1 percent) picked up all-water eastbound share from CKYH and Evergreen, which also lost capacity share on the transpacific all-water lane.
   ' During the first quarter of 2010, Asia to northern Europe weekly capacity rose 7.5 percent to 211,057 TEUs, while Asia to Mediterranean capacity rose 12.6 percent to 107,011 TEUs
   WLS reports are downloadable in Excel spreadsheet form. The report is available at www.AmericanShipper.com/WLS. ' Eric Johnson