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TSA ADVISES SHIP UTILIZATION ABOVE 90 PERCENT ON TRANSPACIFIC
The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) last week confirmed that containership utilization on the transpacific is higher than 90 percent on most sailings. This after a dip in early March. The TSA with 12 members, pledged to be more transparent about market data and operating costs after rates stagnated in 2006, impacting the profitability of most members. TSA carriers are forecasting 9 to 10 percent Asia-U.S. cargo growth for 2007, and a slightly higher growth during 2008.
TRANS-PACIFIC LINES TO INCREASE BAF AND IFC
Both discussion agreements in the trans-Pacific trades are planning hefty increases in bunker and inland fuel surcharges as of June 1.
The Transpacific Stabilization Agreement is raising its bunker surcharge as follows:
-to $745 per 45-foot container (up from $690);
- to $665 per 40-foot container (up from $615);
- to $590 -er 40-foot container (up from $545);
- to $475 per 20-foot container (up from $440);
- to $13 w/m (up from $12).
The Westbound Transpacific Stabilization Agreement is upping its bunker surcharge as follows:
- to $590 per 40/45-foot container (up from $545);
- to $472 per 20-foot container (up from $436);
- and $30 for other freight, up from $28.
Inland fuel surcharges (IFC) are the same for both groups:
- $222 per container for rail and intermodal rail or truck shipments, up from $195; and
- $64 per container for local and regional truck moves, up from $56.
The increases reflect the recent surge in oil prices. In many cases, however, they will not apply because the surcharges are wrapped up into the basic rates negotiated by carriers and shippers.
UTT CLUB HIGHLIGHTS DANGEROUS GOODS INCIDENTS
The biggest loss for the TT Club in 2006 came from the explosions and fire on board the 'Hyundai Fortune', with the total cost of this and similar incidents anticipated to exceed USD 100 million. As a result of the fire over 500 containers were lost. However, an area of concern for the Club is dangerous goods incidents. TT Club's risk management director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox, highlighted these recently, voicing the insurance industry's deep concern at the dangers of misdeclared or undeclared dangerous goods and its fears that, combined with the current trend towards ultra-large container ships with capacities of 13,000 teu or more, wrongly declared dangerous goods will at some stage result in a catastrophic loss of enormous proportions.
DOT AMENDS HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS
The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued a final rule, effective Oct. 1, amending the Hazardous Materials Regulations by revising, consolidating and clarifying the requirements applicable to the use of the:
- International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air;
- the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code;
- the Transport Canada Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations; and
- the International Atomic Energy Agency's Safety Standards Series: Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material.
According to the DOT, these changes are designed to provide a user-friendly format to promote understanding of the conditions and limitations on the use of international standards and regulations. The final rule also authorizes the use in domestic transportation of portable tanks, cargo tank vehicles and rail tank cars manufactured in accordance with the Transport Canada Transportation of Dangerous Goods Regulations.
COMMENTS SOUGHT BY ITC ON NAFTA RULES OF ORIGIN CHANGES
The International Trade Commission is seeking comments by May 16 on a newly initiated investigation concerning proposed modifications to the NAFTA rules of origin for (a) certain sanitary articles and certain non-woven wipes of viscose rayon staple fibres that are goods of Canada and Mexico and (b) chenille fabrics of acrylic fibres that are goods of Canada only.
If adopted, the rule changes would effectively extend duty-free and quota-free treatment to qualifying sanitary articles, non-woven wipes and chenille fabrics in the specified NAFTA countries, regardless of the source of the specified fibres. The ITC expects to submit its advice to the USTR by June 15.
ONTARIO EXPORTS TO DECLINE IN 2007, LEVEL OFF IN 2008,
Ontario's export growth is forecast to decline by 3 per cent in 2007 before flattening out in 2008, according to a provincial export outlook by Export Development Canada (EDC). EDC Economics also forecasts that the auto and forestry sectors will begin to emerge from the bottom of their business cycles through 2008.
Nationally, Canadian export volumes are forecast to decline by 1 per cent in 2007 before rising by a modest 1 per cent in 2008. Canadian economic growth is forecast to remain stable at 2.3 per cent in 2007 and 2.9 per cent in 2008. Internationally, EDC is forecasting 4.5 per cent global economic growth in 2007 and 4.6 per cent growth in 2008. EDC's Global Export Forecast is available at: http://www.edc.ca/gef
U.S. BEGINS CONTAINER RADIATION SCANNING IN PAKISTAN
Customs and Border Protection said that the Secure Freight Initiative began transmitting data from a new radiation scanning system Monday from Port Qasim, Pakistan. The anti-terror program is designed to provide detection of nuclear and radiological materials in marine containers before they are loaded aboard U.S.-bound ships.
Customs said its goal is to establish six Secure Freight Initiative prototype ports in key locations around the world. Port Qasim is one of three locations for the program's Phase 1 testing. Singapore's Brani terminal, Gamman terminal at Busan, South Korea, and Salalah, Oman, are the other locations chosen for Phase 1 testing.
Operational testing of the Secure Freight Initiative began at Puerto Cortés, Honduras on April 2. Integrated scanning of U.S.-bound containers at the third port, Southampton, United Kingdom, is scheduled to begin testing later this summer.
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