LONDON: Container shipping’s transpacific trade is seeing an “unprecedented” increase in capacity during the Golden Week period, according to analyst Sea-Intelligence.
Alan Murphy, CEO of Sea-Intelligence, noted there was a “startling difference” in the offered capacity for the week 40-43 Golden Week period based on what was announced in week 37 (7 September) and in week 40 (28 September).
On the Asia-North America West Coast, based on the schedules published in week 37, capacity in weeks 40-43 is slated to be up by 9.5% year-on-year, while based on the latest schedules published in week 40, capacity is slated to be up by a staggering 26.6%. This corresponds to a reduction in blanked capacity from 8.7% to 3.9%.
On the Asia-North America East Coast, offered capacity is expected to be up by 30.2% year-on-year, rising from 12.1% that was scheduled in week 37. This will reduce blanked capacity from 10.2% to 3%.
Looking at the Asia-Europe trade, the difference was “relatively smaller but still significant”, Murphy noted.
The offered capacity in week 40-43 on Asia-North Europe is now up from 5.8% year-on-year to 13.8% based on the week 40 schedules, and the Golden Week period capacity reduction now slated to be 18.9% instead of 23.1%.
“On Asia-Mediterranean, offered capacity was slated to contract by 1.4% year-on-year based on schedules published in week 37, but is now slated to grow by 6.5%. In terms of capacity reductions, 19.6% is now slated to be removed instead of 20.8% as scheduled in week 37,” Murphy said.
