ComPair: Transpacific re-emerges in Q3

ComPair: Transpacific re-emerges in Q3    Liner carriers have turned to the transpacific trade lane in the last three months to help prolong a recovery in container shipping in the first half of the year, according to the latest World Liner Supply report from American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data.
   The report shows that Asia-to-West Coast transpacific allocated capacity rose 14.3 percent to 292,915 TEUs per week in the period from July 1 to Oct. 1. But weekly allocated capacity on the transpacific all-water route hardly budged in the same period, increasing 1.5 percent to 80,768 TEUs.
   Meanwhile, capacity growth on the Asia/Europe trade lane has slowed somewhat. Asia-to-northern Europe allocated capacity rose 3.4 percent to 236,471 TEUs per week, as carriers tried to counteract declining rates by stymieing the introduction of too much capacity. Asia-to-Mediterranean allocated capacity growth was 8.1 percent to 118,314 TEUs per week.
   The growth of allocated capacity on the eastbound transpacific (particularly to the West Coast of North America) has been so pronounced the last three months that the transpacific has re-emerged again as the largest east/west trade lane. On July 1, the westbound Asia/Europe lanes (to northern Europe and the Mediterranean) had 338,149 TEUs of weekly allocated capacity, slightly more than the 335,900 TEUs found on the eastbound transpacific.
   But by Oct. 1, the eastbound transpacific had surged to 373,683 TEUs of weekly allocated capacity, compared to 354,785 TEUs from Asia to Europe.
   Also notable: the erstwhile CKYH Alliance (which has rebranded itself as the Green Alliance) has seen its market leading capacity share on the transpacific erode a bit, from 26.7 percent to 24.7 percent. But that lost share hasn't gone to any of the other major alliances, but instead has gone mostly to Mediterranean Shipping Co. (which increased its allocated capacity share from 4.3 percent to 5.7 percent) and to new providers outside the major alliances and lines.
   A somewhat similar trend is occurring from Asia to Europe, where allocated capacity provided by carriers outside the major alliances and the top individual lines has increased 9.9 percent to 12.3 percent, while Maersk Line, CMA CGM, and the CKYH and Grand alliances all dropped capacity share.
   For export markets from North America, allocated capacity rose 9.5 percent to 356,996 TEUs weekly on the westbound transpacific, and 6.9 percent on the eastbound transatlantic to 87,143 TEUs weekly.
   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 Oct. 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.
   The next World Liner Supply report is due out in January. WLS reports are downloadable in Excel spreadsheet form. The report is available at www.AmericanShipper.com/WLS. ' Eric Johnson