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Seajet |
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Mid
August |
Very
Important Update
Dear Customers and Friends of Seajet! Just a short while ago I wrote to you in regards to the announcements from carriers to implement a GRI from Asia as well as from Europe. The increases were to become effective on August 8th from Asia and September 1st from Europe. Over the weekend carriers from Asia have implemented the announced increases effective August 8th as follows: US$ 400/20’ – 500/40’ – 565/40’HC and 635/45’ As alluded to in my earlier announcement on this subject, rates had indeed fallen to unsustainable levels and it became clear that carriers would simply add to the red ink with each container carried at those levels. Also, carriers have now taken so much available capacity out of the market place (Maersk has just announced the suspension of yet another service) that space and container availability have actually become tight as hundreds of vessels sitting tied up at ports around the world filled with empty containers on board of them. We have seen some containers being rolled or equipment not being available for the requested sailing for the first time in a very long while. This either means that carriers have truly adjusted capacity to demand or are creating the perception in order to give their GRI more force. Still, I am not entirely convinced that carriers will be able to resist reducing rates again (giving part of the GRI back) in the coming weeks or months as the peak season comes to an end and the slack season begins. As late as Friday we had been approached by two carriers offering reduced increases just to be called back hours later to say that they had to withdraw the offer. This means that the carriers are exercising unprecedented discipline to reduce the current losses; at least at this early stage. Time will tell if they will be able to united in that effort. I assure you that Seajet and our partners in Asia are in non-stop communications with all carriers trying to negotiate reductions of the current increases. If the carriers agree to give any concessions to any customer, it will be out in no time and everybody will have to go along with such concessions as a result. In ending I would like to say that I fully understand that nobody likes to see their rates go up. However one may take into consideration (and take comfort) that even after the GRI fully implemented, on average you are still at least $ 700/40’ better off than 12 months ago. Depending on the port pairs the amounts are even greater. Again and as always, we thank you for your support and please feel free to contact us with any questions. Best regards,
Andreas Bauermeister,
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Seajet Express Inc., 46 Arlington Street, Chelsea, MA 02150 - Telephone 617.884.0991 - www.seajet.com |
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