BlueWater Reporting reviews P3’s network connections

   American Shipper research partner BlueWater Reporting has released an analysis of the proposed P3 alliance’s interconnectivity with the “hub-and-spoke” networks of Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co. and CMA CGM. 
   The analysis, undertaken soon after the P3 Network was announced, finds the P3 partners had 69 individual or joint services running east to west with potential for rationalization, including 18 with transpacific legs, 23 legs in Asia – Europe, and no less than 34 in transatlantic. With their integrated hub-and-spoke networks, every single Maersk, MSC, or CMA CGM service worldwide is likely to pass through one or more major transshipment hub ports along the way – and the majority of these hubs are located along the world’s busy east-west corridors. 
   BlueWater Reporting’s analysis also explains thenorth-south services of Hapag-Lloyd, Hamburg Sud, CSAV, CCNI and Marfret appear to be partnering with members of the P3 or each other, and using the same hubs as the P3, suggesting that in the longer term, as tonnage is cascaded, the P3 Network may logically extend to become the P8 Network.    
   Further, there is also enormous scope for the P3 partners to rationalize their feeder and intra-Asia services, as well as step up cooperation on their respective inland rail services, which the outline proposal does not discuss. The lines could use their combined feeder port and rail volumes to devastating effect when it comes to negotiating rates.
   The report is free to American Shipper Global Schedule subscribers and licensees of BlueWater Reporting.