PORT congestion is providing unprecedented opportunities for air charter brokers - but an absence of passengers is creating challenges in capacity as shippers gear up for peak season, reports London's Loadstar.
With peak season approaching, forwarders have become concerned that there 'simply is not sufficient cargo capacity', particularly on already congested key trade lanes, notably Asia-Europe and Asia-North America.
The head of cargo charters at Hunt & Palmer, Jamie Peters, said: 'When it comes to moving cargo, forwarders and shippers are facing continuous issues. Everything is geared towards Q4 with expectations of a substantial peak period, but it is becoming impossible to locate any large aircraft capacity with less than one or even two weeks' advance notice; there are extremely limited openings.
'Any that do exist come at a very high premium that most customers are turning down, for now, at least.'
He said enhanced Covid rules at Chinese airports was 'profoundly' impacting carriers' ability to 'squeeze-in' additional flights, with passenger service returns also playing a role.
One forwarder agreed airlines returning their focus to passenger services was having a negative impact on cargo capacity, but not just in terms of reducing preighter services, but also when it came to flexibility.
For shippers, instability within the market and ever-rising rates is leading to a divide between larger firms and SMEs, with growing concern that, left unchecked, the issue could lead to many smaller companies failing.
Mr Peters noted that while the deeper pockets of larger companies undoubtedly offered some form of protection, a correction was urgently needed.
He challenged suggestions made by forwarders that, without a fix, the present situation would collapse global supply chains when China's Golden Week kicks off in October, further reducing available staff levels for the already-struggling Chinese gateways.
'I'm not sure there would be a collapse, but certainly this will lead to further strains on those lanes already struggling from a shortage of supply,' Mr Peters said.
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With peak season approaching, forwarders have become concerned that there 'simply is not sufficient cargo capacity', particularly on already congested key trade lanes, notably Asia-Europe and Asia-North America.
The head of cargo charters at Hunt & Palmer, Jamie Peters, said: 'When it comes to moving cargo, forwarders and shippers are facing continuous issues. Everything is geared towards Q4 with expectations of a substantial peak period, but it is becoming impossible to locate any large aircraft capacity with less than one or even two weeks' advance notice; there are extremely limited openings.
'Any that do exist come at a very high premium that most customers are turning down, for now, at least.'
He said enhanced Covid rules at Chinese airports was 'profoundly' impacting carriers' ability to 'squeeze-in' additional flights, with passenger service returns also playing a role.
One forwarder agreed airlines returning their focus to passenger services was having a negative impact on cargo capacity, but not just in terms of reducing preighter services, but also when it came to flexibility.
For shippers, instability within the market and ever-rising rates is leading to a divide between larger firms and SMEs, with growing concern that, left unchecked, the issue could lead to many smaller companies failing.
Mr Peters noted that while the deeper pockets of larger companies undoubtedly offered some form of protection, a correction was urgently needed.
He challenged suggestions made by forwarders that, without a fix, the present situation would collapse global supply chains when China's Golden Week kicks off in October, further reducing available staff levels for the already-struggling Chinese gateways.
'I'm not sure there would be a collapse, but certainly this will lead to further strains on those lanes already struggling from a shortage of supply,' Mr Peters said.
SeaNews Turkey