FEFC’s July westbound volume up 3.2%

FEFC’s July westbound volume up 3.2% The Far Eastern Freight Conference today reported 3.2 percent container volume growth in the westbound Asia to Europe/Mediterranean trade in July.
   The FEFC said its members' monthly westbound box volume was 863,864 TEUs, up from 836,916 TEUs in July 2007. On a regional basis, the Far East-to-North Europe volume improved 5 percent to 569,425 TEUs, while the westbound trade from Asia to Mediterranean ports was flat at 294,439 TEUs.
   After seven months of 2008, FEFC members' westbound volume was up 7.5 percent to 5.75 million TEUs.
   Eastbound figures for July are not yet available, but the FEFC did report June's backhaul volume as being down 5.4 percent at 325,237 TEUs. After six months the eastbound volumes were down 2.9 percent at 1.8 million TEUs.
   FEFC carriers are ANL Container Lines, APL, CMA CGM, CSAV Norasia, Egyptian International Shipping Co., Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, “K” Line, Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Co., MISC Berhad, MOL, NYK, OOCL, Safmarine, Yang Ming and Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.
   The FEFC will cease operations Oct. 17 after nearly 130 years due to the repeal of the liner conference exemption in EC Regulation 4056/86.