Flexport head of ocean freight (EMEA) Martin Holst-Mikkelsen told The Loadstar: “There is a high utilisation, and services on the [Asia-Europe] trade are relatively full for the coming two weeks.
“We are also seeing some increase in container rollovers at ports in China as well as at transhipment hubs,” he added.
Indeed, notwithstanding the slump in bookings, carriers have managed so far to keep a lid on the normal rate erosion consequences of persistent soft demand, protecting rates by withdrawing 34 – 26% – of the scheduled 130 headhaul sailings this month, according to eeSea data.