shippingposition
  • Home
  • News
  • Editorial
    • Vox Pop
  • Maritime safety
  • Oil and Gas
  • Personality
  • Health
No Result
View All Result
shippingposition

Home » Container Shipping To Witness Rate War In 2023

Container Shipping To Witness Rate War In 2023

by Joshua
December 8, 2022
in News

The year 2022 was all about tight capacity and exceptionally high container rates. Towards the latter half of the year, the prices started to plummet and continue to crash as we transition into the new year, according to the market forecaster issued today by Container xChange, the online container logistics platform.

CONTAINER SHIPPING

There is significant market volatility that continues to disrupt the container shipping industry. With a significant oversupply of containers and a further influx of more TEUs in 2023, Shipping lines continue to reduce vessel capacity and suspend services by considerable blank sailings. In a recent advisory, Maersk indicates that it will continue to ‘make capacity adjustments on services from Asia to North America, Europe and the Mediterranean to better align with demand fluctuations.’ We observe a similar trend echoing in the industry.

“In 2023, there is a high possibility of an all-out price war. It doesn’t seem that the capacity restrictions that we have seen in the past two years are due to return, so we’ll just have ample capacity both on the vessel as well as on the container side. With the competitive dynamics in the container shipping and liner industry, I don’t expect especially the big players to hold back, and we do expect prices to come down to almost variable costs. We also foresee market consolidation.” commented Christian Roeloffs, Cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange, an online platform for container logistics.

This is starting with initially carriers defaulting and reducing their fleet. Recently, there was news about CHINA United Lines, an emerging carrier on transpacific and Asia-Europe services, being at risk of defaulting on a charter party involving more than 10 containerships.

“Into the year 2023, freight forwarders will be able to go window shopping quite a lot, and there’s going to be a lot of room for negotiation, especially in the early parts of the year. Contract rates will follow suit as spot rates fall significantly.” Roeloffs added.

“We will continue to see efforts towards diversification of supply chain sourcing and manufacturing out of China. This is a long-term view, and it will need vision and strategy from companies looking for a more resilient supply chain. We will witness increased container volumes intra-Asia and more countries will emerge as potential alternatives like Vietnam, India and more.”

“In such an environment where there will be tighter margins for freight forwarders and traders, the cost is going to be everything. Leaders will look for ways to efficiency and business sustenance. Technology offers a great opportunity for leaders to minimise risk with data visibility and transparency while also maintaining a healthy partner portfolio that helps greatly in testing times.”

Read Also:  VESSELS EXPECTED AT LAGOS PORT AS AT THURSDAY 8, DECEMBER 2022

“Tight grip on costs becomes paramount for freight forwarders into the year 2023. While on one hand there will be a great deal of negotiation with shipping lines and on the other hand, operational cost optimisation will be crucial for the forwarders. There will be careful monitoring of the demurrage and detention charges, for instance, insurance charges, claims etc. As capacity on the ocean side becomes more abundant, there is a valid business case for using SOCs which not just offer flexibility but greater control to the forwarders.” said Dr. Johannes Schlingmeier, cofounder and CEO, of Container xChange.

To think of the situation from a more macro-lens, it seems that what we experienced in the past three years is a natural reaction of market forces of demand and supply resulting from the disruptions like covid-19 and subsequent lockdowns, the war in Ukraine by Russia, geopolitical risks and many more. Container prices skyrocketed soon after the pandemic hit because there were not enough containers to fulfil the rising demand and that’s when retailers and importers started to stock much more in advance to avoid the historic port congestions.

The pre-peak season in 2022 saw record container throughput in import-heavy ports. Now that the stocks have been filled, the demand is plummeting. Inflation and the energy crisis are leading up to cautious spending which will have its own impact on the container industry. The shipping industry will survive this, and we will again start to see normal activity levels in the future, though not immediate future. The good part is, that the worst is behind us.

shippingposition

Kindly like us on Facebook/twitter


Tags: Container Shipping

Related Posts

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Ramps Up Campaign for IMO Category C Seat, Showcases Maritime, Aviation Potential on Global Stage

July 15, 2025
WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

July 15, 2025
Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

July 15, 2025
Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Customs Boss Extols Late Buhari’s Legacy Of Discipline

July 15, 2025

Latest News

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Ramps Up Campaign for IMO Category C Seat, Showcases Maritime, Aviation Potential on Global Stage

July 15, 2025

WCO Chairmanship: Afam Chukwuma Hails Adeniyi’s Appointment as Major Boost for Nigeria’s Customs and Economy

Aliko Dangote Submits Paperwork To Build Nigeria’s Largest Seaport In Ogun

Nigeria Customs Boss Extols Late Buhari’s Legacy Of Discipline

Vessels Expected At Lagos Ports As At 14th July, 2025

Duty-Free, But Not Trouble-Free: Mixed Reactions Trail UK’s Trade Window For Nigerian Exports

At Last, Lekki-Epe Corridor Stakeholders Agree On August 1st Enforcement Date For E-Call-Up 

Nigeria Losing Billions To Boat Importation As Indigenous Operators Urge Local Shipbuilding Drive

Court Ruling Against CRFFN’s Regulatory Powers Tears Customs Brokers Apart   

Oyetola Reaffirms Commitment to Logistics Reform, Commissions Zenith Carex HQ

Let the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria Breathe

MONDAY INTERVIEW: “70% of the crew of Ocean Dragon are Nigerians”— Mrs Bernadine Eloka 

kindly like our Facebook page

Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know
Health

The Usefulness Of Watermelon Seeds You May Not Know

July 14, 2025

Watermelon is one fruit that’s hard to resist when it gets too hot. It’s sweet and is high in water...

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: THE HEART

June 30, 2025
Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

Why Your Favourite Seasoning Cubes May Be Hurting Your Kidneys

June 30, 2025
Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

Contraceptive Pills Can’t Cause Cervical Cancer – Expert

June 30, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

KNOW YOUR BODY PARTS: The Liver

June 16, 2025
ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

ONIONS: The Good Old Healing Vegetable

June 16, 2025
Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

Why Prostate Disorder Cases Are Increasing Among Nigerian Men – Experts

June 1, 2025
20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

20m Nigerians Live With Mental Health Issues, Says WHO

June 1, 2025
Health Facts You Didn’t Know

How Your Habit Affects Fertility

May 19, 2025
Fruits For Raining Season

Fruits For Raining Season

May 19, 2025

© 2021 Shippingposition

Navigate Site

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Sitemap
  • Terms

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Coast To Coast
  • Oil and Gas
  • Maritime Education
  • The Terminals
  • Maritime safety

© 2021 Shippingposition