World Liner Supply: Asia/Europe usurps transpacific as biggest deep-sea trade

World Liner Supply: Asia/Europe usurps transpacific as biggest deep-sea trade The Asia to North Europe/Mediterranean trade has overtaken the transpacific as the world's biggest deep-sea trade in terms of vessel capacity for the first time ever, according to American Shipper's sister company ComPair Data's latest World Liner Supply report.
   The recent exodus of vessels from the Asia/North America trade coupled with a slew of new Asia/Europe loops created a 10.5 percent capacity swing between the trades in the period from Oct. 1, 2007 to Jan. 1, 2008.
   The World Liner Supply report reveals that nominal vessel capacity in the headhaul eastbound transpacific trade decreased by 5.4 percent, so that it now has roughly 342,000 TEUs in weekly one-way capacity, down from about 361,000 TEUs on Oct. 1, 2007.
   In the same timeframe, the westbound Asia/Europe trade gained 5.1 percent to about 354,000 TEUs in one-way capacity, up from about 337,000 TEUs.
   The shift is evidence of the slowing demand for Asian goods in North America and highlights shipping lines' ever increasing sophistication at balancing supply and demand in different markets, especially important now as they are faced with escalating operating costs, mainly due to record fuel prices.
   The January issue of American Shipper includes an in-depth look at conditions in the transpacific trade on pages 6-19.
   The World Liner Supply reports are available at no charge to subscribers of American Shipper Interactive. ' Simon Heaney