TACA RAISES RATES AND BUNKER CHARGES

TACA RAISES RATES AND BUNKER CHARGES    The Trans-Atlantic Conference Agreement carriers have announced further increases in eastbound and westbound rates and in bunker chargres.
   The conference plans to raise westbound tariff rates and rates on conference-wide service contracts by $240 per 20-foot container and $300 per 40- or 45-footer, effective April 1.
   As usual, rates for existing service contracts between shippers and a given TACA carrier are not affected directly by the conference rate increases, as they will be re-negotiated individually when the individual contracts expire.
   Eastbound, the conference announced rate rises of $120 per 20-foot container and $150 per 40- or 45-footer, also with effect from April 1.
   The conference said that current westbound trade volumes in the Atlantic trade “depict the continuing strength and growth of the market.” The carrier group said that there is still a need “to restore rates to a viable level.”
   The conference said that indications that eastbound volumes are picking up “are encouragingly still evident.”
   The April rate increases will be the second this year, following westbound rate rises of $600 per 20-foot and $750 per 40-foot/45-foot container and eastbound increases of $160 per 20-foot container and $200 per 40-foot/45-foot box on Jan. 1.
   On April 1, TACA’s bunker charge will also rise. They will increase from $28 to $31 per 20-foot container and from $56 to $62 per 40-foot/45-foot box for traffic to and from U.S. Atlantic and Gulf ports.
   The fuel surcharge for shipments to and from Pacific Coast ports will increase at the same time from $42 to $47 per 20-foot box and from $84 to $93 per 40-foot or 45-foot container.