Yusen: Small shippers reliable, majors promise more than they deliver
MORE shipping lines are preferring smaller customers with higher predictability, large customers reserving slots which they are later unable to fill, says Yusen Logistics Europe chief Ken Kunihiko Miyoshi.
"Shipping lines want these big names on their customer lists but the big customers' forecasts can be inaccurate," said Mr Miyoshi.
"For instance, they forecast 500 containers per week, but they give you 200 only and suddenly you have 300 spaces to fill. It's not necessarily their fault, but it is always very difficult," he told Containerisation International.
Mr Miyoski said carriers are becoming increasingly reluctant to commit to the biggest shippers. Given the difficulty in getting space, and with the consolidation of carriers into larger alliances, limiting choice, there is a tendency among larger shippers to turn to forwarders and stop direct dealings with shipping lines, he said.
"Europe has always been a strong freight forwarder market but I think we are seeing a change in other trade lanes, for instance the transpacific trade, where usually the customers want to deal directly with the carriers," Mr Miyoshi said.
"I'm not saying that they have gone out changed 100 per cent to freight forwarders but let's say a customer was previously using five big carriers, they are now using four big carriers and one big freight forwarder.
"This is especially true for the big American customers. They have very big volumes, which they find it difficult to get carriers to accept during peak season," he said.
The changes afoot in the industry is bringing a windfall to a number of forwarders who have recorded double-digit volume increases, while the overall container market was growing at a rate of around two to three per cent.
Yusen Logistics, for example, in its last financial year saw ocean freight volumes rise by 22 per cent year on year.
MORE shipping lines are preferring smaller customers with higher predictability, large customers reserving slots which they are later unable to fill, says Yusen Logistics Europe chief Ken Kunihiko Miyoshi.
"Shipping lines want these big names on their customer lists but the big customers' forecasts can be inaccurate," said Mr Miyoshi.
"For instance, they forecast 500 containers per week, but they give you 200 only and suddenly you have 300 spaces to fill. It's not necessarily their fault, but it is always very difficult," he told Containerisation International.
Mr Miyoski said carriers are becoming increasingly reluctant to commit to the biggest shippers. Given the difficulty in getting space, and with the consolidation of carriers into larger alliances, limiting choice, there is a tendency among larger shippers to turn to forwarders and stop direct dealings with shipping lines, he said.
"Europe has always been a strong freight forwarder market but I think we are seeing a change in other trade lanes, for instance the transpacific trade, where usually the customers want to deal directly with the carriers," Mr Miyoshi said.
"I'm not saying that they have gone out changed 100 per cent to freight forwarders but let's say a customer was previously using five big carriers, they are now using four big carriers and one big freight forwarder.
"This is especially true for the big American customers. They have very big volumes, which they find it difficult to get carriers to accept during peak season," he said.
The changes afoot in the industry is bringing a windfall to a number of forwarders who have recorded double-digit volume increases, while the overall container market was growing at a rate of around two to three per cent.
Yusen Logistics, for example, in its last financial year saw ocean freight volumes rise by 22 per cent year on year.