NORTH EUROPE/CANADA CONFERENCES RAISE WESTBOUND RATES

NORTH EUROPE/CANADA CONFERENCES RAISE WESTBOUND RATES    The Northern Europe/Canada conferences will increase freight rates again on Oct. 1.
   The planned rate rises, the second this year, are $250 per 20-foot container and $350 per 40-foot box.
   The price hikes follow increases in westbound rates of $320 per 20-foot container and $400 per 40-footer on April 1.
   Members of the northern Europe/Canada/northern Europe conferences are Atlantic Container Line, Canada Maritime, Cast, Hapag-Lloyd and Orient Overseas Container Line.
   The Canadian conferences announced no rate increases in the eastbound direction.
   The westbound rate rises are the latest evidence of the strength of the Europe-to-North America trade.
   The Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement, which covers transatlantic cargoes moved by conference carriers via U.S. ports, has said that it plans to raise westbound tariff rates by $320 per 20-foot container and $400 per 40-footer or 45-footer on Sept. 1.
   TACA conference lines are Atlantic Container Line, Hapag-Lloyd, Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk Sealand, NYK, OOCL and P&O Nedlloyd.