YANGMING PREDICTS LOWER COSTS

YANGMING PREDICTS LOWER COSTS    Taiwans’ Yangming Marine Transport said that it will benefit from lower fuel costs and more efficient container vessels this year.
   The carrier’s new 5,500-TEU vessels are being delivered for operation in the transpacific and Asia/Europe trade this year, replacing smaller vessels. In March, Yangming took delivery of the fifth 5,500-TEU ship in a series of seven new sisterships. The remaining two are expected to be delivered by December.
   For the company, the new vessels will cut down ship operating costs by about NT$160 million ($5 million) a year, Yangming said. “Meanwhile, these high-speed vessels will shorten the sailing turnover and henceforth enhance the ability of cargo soliciting.”
   The Taiwanese shipping line said that the decrease in bunker prices of US$20 per ton can also save about NT$600 billion ($18 million), based on a consumption of one million tons of bunkers a year.
   Yangming said that these factors “will sharpen Yang Ming’s competitive edge in the tight marine market.”
   Yangming is one of many carriers that are introducing large containerships in the east/west trades this year.