Regionals' capacity off 3.2pc, but performance better than others

THE capacity operated by smaller regional carriers has fallen 3.2 per cent this year, but they often performed better than larger ones, according to Paris-based Alphaliner's analysis of the shipping lines ranked from 26th to 50th in size.

The bigest gainer was Grand China Shipping (GCS), which grew by 320 per cent as it actively acquired tonnage this year, bringing it to 51st position with an operated capacity of 16,000 TEU compared to 3,800 TEU in January.

Another four shipping lines dropped out of the Top 50. Two troubled South American carriers led the decline with CCNI losing 26 per cent of its capacity and Maruba, losing 29 per cent in the last year.

Swire Shipping shed the most capacity in percentage terms, losing 30 per cent of its operating tonnage as it terminated two of its major intercontinental routes in June.

Carriers that gained market share, mostly took advantage of low charter market conditions and cheap second-hand prices to increase tonnage, said Alphaliner. Most of these are involved in the intra-Asia and feeder trades, including KMTC (up 4 per cent), STX Pan Ocean (up 42 per cent), Unifeeder (up 41 per cent) including IMCL fleet acquired in November 2009), SCIndia (up 10 per cent), Sinotrans (up 46 per cent), Sinokor (up 12 per cent), Turkon (up 13 per cent) and Temas (up 50 per cent).

The weak conditions have not stopped a few companies from entering the liner trades, although none are in the top 100. Among the newcomers recorded since January are Hartmann Asia Lines (a Singapore-based subsidiary of the Hartmann Group which has started feeder services from Colombo and Singapore to Chennai and Calcutta since June); Pacific Orient Lines (Taiwan-based operator which launched a Taiwan to Guam and Marianas service in August); SE Shipping (a Singapore-based project cargo carrier, which launched the SE Three Oceans Line, a multipurpose service connecting North Europe to the South Pacific in September); Majestic Enrich Shipping (new Malaysia-based shipping line which has started a Malaysia-Singapore service in November with plans to extend the service to India); MBG Shipping (a new South African based shipping company that has launched a South Africa-North Europe service in December).

Source: www.schednet.com