admin, Author at The Cooperative News

Logistics trends: A report to review the container shipping situation in major international ports

Posted on 17 December, 2021 | by admin

The staggering profits for sea freight forwarders have surpassed the combined industry profits made over the whole decade and the shipping trends in 2021 have shown us that the shippers are ready to pay a higher price for their cargo

As we approach 2022, the time is now to look back at the international container shipping trends in the last year. Here is a special report about the Container Index Availability (CAx) at all the major global ports, compiled by our partner Container xChange– the leading marketplace for container trading and leasing. According to Johannes Schlingmeier, the Container xChange Co-founder, “Over the last two quarters, the industry has faced skyrocketing container prices. However, these increases first leveled off and have now started gradually decreasing. It seems, what we’re seeing now, is a turning point.”

container availability index — 40 HC average container prices

A guide to container prices around the world

All the important ports in China, the US, the UK, and Germany are showing a decline in container prices between August to November. In the last 3 months, the price of containers in the US has gone down by almost 15%. The Port of Qingdao has registered the sharpest fall in container prices from September to November 2021. Here the average price of 40 HC containers has been reduced by 23% coming down to around $1756. In the Ningbo Port, a 40 HC container cost $959 less in November compared to the price in September.

Container xChange- container availability index — Average One-way Leasing Pickup Charges

What is Container Availability Index?

Container Availability Index or CAx is an index (or tool) that permits interested parties to oversee the container availability in certain ports through the import and export moves of full containers. A CAx value of 0.5 indicates that the number of containers that left and entered the port in one week is the same. CAx value greater than 0.5 indicates more containers have entered the port. On the other hand, CAx values lesser than 0.5 mean that more containers have left the port. The data from millions of containers are tracked to come up with the CAx value. Container xChange has collected this data from shipping lines, terminals and depots.

The high CAx value in major ports due to inbound containers

This report by Container xChange took into account 83 important ports around the world. Nevertheless, only 9 of these 83 ports, have CAx values lower than 0.50. In 74 out of these 83 ports, the CAx values were higher than 0.50. Last year, 61 ports had CAx values lower than 0.50 while before the pandemic only 34 ports had CAx values lower than 0.50. This clearly shows how the pandemic has disrupted the regular port operations. Usually, the year-end is the time when there’s a surge of containers in the UK and USA while the Asian ports record a lesser container volume. However, this year, only a few ports in China have a low CAx value while the rest of the ports have higher CAx values. This indicates that containers around the globe are either delayed or stranded.

Trading and leasing rates

A look at the regional trends in container shipping

Container availability in the US

Last year the CAx values at the Port of Los Angeles went down from 0.85 to 0.34 in the first to last week of November. In 2021 this value has dropped from 0.88 to 0.87 at the same time of the year.

The CAx values at the Port of Savannah were high all through this year ranging between 0.90 and 0.96. This suggests tremendous port congestion and container load of inbound shipments.

At the Port of Long Beach the CAx values ranged between 0.86 to 0.89 in the last week of July and in November, this value is at 0.86. Even though we noted a drop in these values last year, the predictions are not showing signs of revival this year due to the current situation of the gridlock.

The CAx values at the Port of Houston, Texas, in 2020 was half of this year. In November, the CAx at Houston Port was 0.89 while in 2020 it was 0.48. Undoubtedly, the port witnessed an increased burden of inbound containers all through 2021 as compared to 2020 and 2019.

Container shipping trends in China

A fall in container prices

The average one-way pickup rates of containers from China to Germany and the UK have gone down between September to November. This rate will fall further in the future. The average leasing rate from China to the US has dropped by 25% between August to September. Nevertheless, this rate has gone up in October and November.

We can see a drop in the prices of 40 HC containers across 14 ports in China. Furthermore, a similar trend can be seen for 20 DC containers. The average cost of containers reached an all-time high in September. After that, the price fell steadily till the end of November. In Shanghai, the price of 40 ft HCs fell by 21% from $6,686 in September to $5,746 in the first week of December. In the Port of Yantian, this fall in price was around 12%, around 7% in Shenzhen, 12% in Tianjin, 7% in Dalian, and 23% in Qingdao.

The ratio of inbound containers in China is highest since 2019

Last year in November the CAx values in Shanghai Port hit an all-time low of 0.05. This year, the CAx values went down to 0.50. This indicates that the number of containers coming and leaving the docks is the same. Yantian Port has an average CAx value of 0.27. This shows that the number of outbound boxes is more than the previous year but still has not reached the pre-pandemic level.

CAx values at the Ports of Dalian and Tianjin

In November, the container availability index in Tianjin was higher than that of Qingdao and Ningbo Ports. By the end of November, the CAx values stood at 0.71 while in 2020 it was 0.16. In 2019 this value was 0.39. Therefore, we can see the presence of more inbound containers at both these ports. In the Port of Dalian, the average CAx values were 0.49 last month. This value is 4 times greater than the value in November 2020.

CAx values in Tianjin and Shanghai are higher than in Qingdao and Ningbo

We can see an increase in the CAx value at the Port of Ningbo which is slowly going back to the pre-pandemic levels. Last year this port witnessed a substantial decrease in CAx values. This year the drop in the CAx value is considerably less. We can safely conclude that in November 2020 the volume of inbound containers was lesser than that of outbound containers. This year, however, the number of outbound containers was not greater than the inbound ones.

Container shipping trends in India

In Chennai, the price of 40ft HCs went down from $5550 in August to $5323 on the 1st of December. In Nhava Sheva Port, the price for 40ft HCs fell from $5044 in October to $4875 in December’s first week. The cost for the same in 2019 was around $1000 for 20 DC and $2000 for 40 DC. The Port of Chennai also went through a 17% jump in average prices of 20 DC containers. The average container cost in the Nhava Sheva Port went up from $2292 in October to $2320 in November.

The CAx is probably not going to rise in 2022

CAx values at the Nhava Sheva Port were around 0.78 in the end of October. In the last two years, this value was lower demonstrating a downward trend till the year ending. This implies a larger number of outbound containers at the Nhava Sheva during close of the year. Nevertheless, the trend isn’t similar in 2021. The numbers indicate a fall in the number of exports. Additionally, containers have also piled up at the ports while the number of inbound containers is getting higher.

The container availability index at Mundra Port was five times greater compared to the previous year. In addition, it is around 3 times higher than the pre-pandemic level. This trend has been consistent all around the year. At the Port of Chennai, the CAx values in November are twice that of the previous year. The pre-pandemic trend in the Chennai Port was low CAx values because of the large number of exports. The year 2021 has indicated a contrary trend of high CAx values till the end of the year.

The situation at the Ports in Europe

High CAx Values at the European Ports with heavy inbound containers

In November, we have seen a 5 times growth of CAx values at the Port of Antwerp as compared to 2020. This shows that a large number of containers are docked. The CAx values at the Port of Valencia are six times greater than in 2020. In the Port of Barcelona, the CAx value is also double that of the previous year. The CAx at the Port of Sines was 0.09 last year, while this year it is 0.85. This is a great increase. The CAx values at the Port of Hamburg are three times greater than last year. The average CAx values at the Port of Felixstowe were 0.65 in the last 3 years. However, this year in November this value stands at 0.89.

All the European Ports have higher CAx values than the last two years. Furthermore, we can also notice a consistent increase in the number of inbound containers at the European ports.

Several leading transportation and logistics websites publish the news of The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

Posted on 14 December, 2021 | by admin

The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting that enabled the members to do remote networking registered a record attendance

Leading supply chain websites covered the news of the success of The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2nd Virtual Meeting. Over 140 Coop members came online on 15th and 16th November to participate in The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting. Furthermore, the 5000 one-to-one videoconferences hosted during the meeting allowed the members to get new project opportunities. Members also got to promote their companies, and expand their international presence. Three leading logistics webzines -Newscouple, AJOT, and Logistics Business have published the news of Cooperative Logistics’s Network’s 2nd Cloud Conference.

Cooperative Logistics Network- 2nd Virtual Meeting — The coverage of The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

Newscouple is a news website with all the latest news from the fields of logistics, e-commerce, business, commodity, and entrepreneurs. It features industry analysis from expert and celebrity columnists to provide the readers with unique insight into several international business related topics.

AJOT or the American Journal of Transportation is a web portal dedicated to the logistics industry. Moreover, this website features the latest and most pertinent news and reports from the international freight forwarding industry.

Logistics Business is a UK based supply chain magazine with an extensive reader base. Additionally, it covers news on topics such as transport and distribution, warehousing, packaging, green logistics, and the use of IT in transportation and logistics.

The news covered in the above web portals talks about the successful outcome of the meeting and how it helped the members to increase the number of collaborative projects. Moreover, it also mentions the FreightViewer workshops held in the course of the cloud conference.

To find out more about their coverage of our Virtual Meeting just click on the above links.

Interview with Anibal del Diego – The Coop’s Membership Development Coordinator

Posted on 10 December, 2021 | by admin

Today we are publishing an interview with Anibal del Diego, the Membership Development Coordinator of The Cooperative Logistics Network. Anibal’s primary task consists of researching and recruiting the most competent freight forwarders for membership in The Cooperative. Additionally, he plays a vital role in seeking out new sales opportunities and selecting and engaging reliable members for The Cooperative. Before working at The Coop, he spent many years in the Sales and Customer Service department of a few multinational companies which gave him an in-depth knowhow of working with a goal driven basis and ensuring client satisfaction. Moreover, Anibal’s skills in interpersonal communications lends a positive, confident and determined approach to customer relationship management.

Q. Tell us a little bit about your experience at The Coop.
A. I really enjoy what I am doing and so far my experience with The Coop team has been nothing short of delightful. We are a close knit team and my associates within the organization are very amiable. We work harmoniously to come up with innovative solutions for our network members. In the course of my service at The Coop, I have learned a great deal about enrolling new members, client research, the importance of concise and precise communication and much more.

Q. Can you tell us something about the beginnings of The Coop?
A. The Coop started its journey from September 2014 has completed 7 years in business. We started with members from over 60 cities across 50 countries and today we have recruited over 310 reliable agents across 134 countries. Moreover, the pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for independent freight forwarders to band together and successfully compete with the big players. Notwithstanding the several challenges of this industry since 2020, we have been able to maintain our quality standards and significantly expand our member base.

Q. What does your job consist of? Do you find your day-to-day tasks exciting?
A. My everyday work is very interesting and even demanding at times. My primary task entails doing research about the applicant companies and determining their membership eligibility. Moreover, as the Membership Development Coordinator, I am the first point of contact between the members and the network. Additionally, I also contact potential members and communicate about the advantage of joining our network. It is my responsibility to keep the number of members growing for further expanding our coverage in the coming years.

Q. Which is the most challenging part of the job?
A. The Coop accepts a maximum of 3 agents per city with the exception of busy cities where the maximum is 5 members. Therefore communicating with so many agents each from several cultural backgrounds surely poses a considerable challenge. However, my previous experience in the Customer Service Sector has taught me how to effectively deal with my clients and attend to each of their questions, issues and requirements.

Q. In your opinion, which is the greatest advantage of The Coop members in terms of sales?
A. The Coop’s referral programs can be of great financial advantage for the members. The Coop’s Referral Program gives the agents 25% discount on their first yearly membership fee for each agent that they recommend who gets accepted as a member. All members need to do is refer trustworthy agents and they get to obtain 25% discount of their membership fee if that agent eventually becomes a Coop member. They can avail of up to 4 discounts of 25% every year implying the possibility of paying zero membership fee for the coming year! Additionally, members who want to represent more than one location within a country get to pay just 50% of the posted membership fee for every additional branch.

Q. What is the most important objective of the sales team?

A. Simply put, the most important job if the sales team is to increase the number of members within the network. To this end, we constantly undertake many promotional projects and get in touch with trustworthy freight agents who could be our potential members. Additionally, we are not on the lookout for the largest forwarders in each city. What we try to find are the most reputable, well managed and financially solvent companies that also have a substantial business volume and a good credit history with their partners.

Q. What do you like about working at The Cooperative?

A. The friendly office environment fosters creativity and allows me to try out new approaches towards aspect of my job. Thanks to the constant help of my colleagues and the encouragement of the management, I think of my workplace as an extension of my family! Despite all the challenges of my work, I find it very interesting and constantly trying out new techniques to expand the outreach of our network.

My teammates are always there to help me with the task of reaching out to quality agents and offering the best customer services. The frequent board meetings and discussions help me to brainstorm and find new ideas to enhance our services and outreach. The Coop offers a proactive work environment that permits me to be innovative and creative. Over the years my colleagues have eventually become like a close knit circle of friends who work together with one common objective: to better serve our agents and to enable independent freight forwarders to become truly global.

Q. What are the values that motivate you?

A. Honesty, originality, and the wisdom to make important decisions are some of the factors that allow me to be good at what I do. In my opinion clear communication, operational integrity, and an aptitude for problem solving are crucial for expanding our network. Above anything else the agents need to feel that we care for their business. The success of our network is directly related to the success of our member companies.

What matters in my line of work is to show my clients how we really care about them. At the end of the day it all boils down to trust and it is this trust of our members which keeps us moving forward. In this context I would like to quote American business author and management guru Michael LeBoeuf -“A satisfied customer is the best business strategy,”- and this exactly is my work motto!

Talwin Transport Service celebrates 25 years in business

Posted on 26 November, 2021 | by admin

They started their journey 25 years back with a vision of constant progress and the objective of offering positive solutions and improvements in each operation related to foreign trade

Talwin Transport Service, a Coop member in Buenos Aires, Argentina, recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. It was in 1996 that they decided to create this company and started offering bespoke solutions for the transportation needs of their customers. Presently, they cover all the necessary areas to provide the most comprehensive logistical services. This has enabled them to become an integral part of their customers’ growth. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, they have kept the celebrations for later.

As stated by Francisco Muñoz, Business Development Manager of Talwin Transport, “The beginnings of our company were hard considering the instabilities in our country and in this sector. However, with great force driven by our founding partner and current President Gabriel Taberna and his sister and current Vice President, Monica Taberna, we were surrounded by excellent collaborators, who allowed us to grow year by year.”

25th Anniversary of Talwin Transport-independent freight forwarders — *25th Anniversary of Talwin Transport*

Their IATA Certification and a competent team of professionals allowed them to offer world-class services in the air freight and international logistics sector. Moreover, despite the pandemic, Talwin has considerably expanded their business volume and their expectations for 2022 are very bright.

“In the last 25 years, we have achieved the recognition of many international clients and partners who are happy to work with us. Our client satisfaction is our greatest reward. This is what motivates our team to put forth an even greater effort,” adds Mr. Muñoz.

Congratulations to Talwin Transport Services and all the best for their future projects!

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2nd Virtual Meeting concludes successfully with a record number of attendees

Posted on 19 November, 2021 | by admin

Over 140 delegates attended The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting to strengthen their networking, obtain sales leads, and forge long-term partnerships

The Cooperative Logistics Network’s 2^nd Virtual Meeting that was held on 15^th and 16^th November was an all-out success. The two-day event registered a record attendance with over 140 delegates participating in around 5,000 videoconferences. The Virtual Meeting allowed the delegates to touch base with their partners, showcase their companies, get business opportunities and expand their outreach.

The productiveness of last year’s online event ensured an even greater attendance for this year’s conference. Moreover, the meeting allowed each delegate to schedule up to 32 one-to-one videoconferences with their partners. The Coop’s IT team further improved the meeting platform to create a seamless videoconferencing experience. Furthermore, The Coop team was always present to fix any unexpected technical issues.

The Coop's 2nd Virtual Meeting of Independent freight forwarders — The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

Additionally, the conference also gave the participants the chance to attend online FreightViewer workshops. During the workshops, Andrea Martin, The Coop’s FreightViewer Coordinator explained the latest features and utilities of The Coop’s member-exclusive TMS. FreightViewer allows the members to digitize their quote generation process, satisfy customer expectations, and adapt to the changes in market demands.

After attending the meeting one member commented, “It was a well organized Virtual Meeting and was seamless. Our appreciation to you. I could attend 29 meetings and I had excellent meetings with every one. Apart from talking business, it was social and affectionate as well. We also became fully aware of the pandemic situations the world over.”

This year, the Coop afforded a special opportunity for the delegates to engage in casual conversations during the coffee breaks. The delegates were able to access a chat room with up to five random partners. This was a special initiative on The Coop’s part to foster the bonding among the network members.

To quote The Coop Founder and President Mr. Antonio Torres, “Every year our Annual Meeting gives our members a chance to boost their networking and enhance the prospects of strong partnerships. Moreover, the efficacy of our previous online meeting ensured the largest attendance with more than 140 delegates participating in over 5000 one-to-one meetings. The meeting fulfilled its primary objective of enhancing the synergy within the network. We are hoping that next year we will be able to conduct an in-person meeting where we will once again carry on with face-to-face networking.”

Shenzhen Yee Zhan Yuan has changed their company’s name to CIMC ANDA Shun International Logistics

Posted on 5 November, 2021 | by admin

Their merger with Shenzhen Anda Shun International Logistics prompted this change of name which came about on 1st November 2021

Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan International Freight, a Coop member in Shenzhen, China, recently changed their name to CIMC ANDA SHUN INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS. They decided to change the name of their organization after their merger with Shenzhen Anda Shun International Logistics and CIMC Logistics Group.

“Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan is a reputed ISO 9001 accredited company which is a member of IATA, FIATA, and NVOCC. Moreover, our merger will help us have even better management and resource sharing. This will allow us to provide world class services to our clients in Shenzhen and beyond,” says Mr. Ricky Wang, the General Manager of Shenzhen Yee Zhanyuan.

From 1st November they will use the name ADS for handling all their business. Additionally, they will handle all Coop members’ businesses under this new name. With the objective of providing optimized logistics solutions to its clients and customers, CIMC ANDA SHUN INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS offers air, sea, warehousing, customs clearance, trucking and other value-added services for their customers.

Macsons Shipping brings in a vessel with highest parcel size ever to be handled in the history of Tuticorin Port

Posted on 29 October, 2021 | by admin

They helped move 93,719 tonnes of limestone for a cement factory via the Singapore flagged vessel MV Ince Incara

Macsons Shipping, a Coop member in Tuticorin, created a new record at VOC Port Trust, Tuticorin, India, for bringing in a vessel with the highest parcel size ever to be handled in history of the port. The Singapore flagged vessel ‘M V Ince Ankara‘ arrived from the Port of Mina Saqr, UAE, with 93,719 tonnes of limestone. They handled cargo consigned for M/s Chettinad Cements, between 26th to 28th of August’ 2021. In this process, they broke all the previous records held by the port in terms of the size of the parcel handled.

Macsons Shipping- Independent freight forwarder — Macsons Shipping moves 93,719 tonnes of limestone

Three Harbour Mobile Cranes capable of discharging more than 50,000 tonnes per day unloaded the cargo at the port. As stated by the Chairman, of VO Chidambaranar Port Trust, Tuticorin, “This has been a great collaborative effort and I take this opportunity to recognize the hard work and commitment of the ship agents Macsons Shipping Agencies Private Ltd, stevedores, Harbour Mobile Crane operators, officers and the staff of the port.”

They first made it to the news back in 2010 when they facilitated the transportation of a large shipment of vehicles comprising jeeps, cars, and motorbikes. This shipment was a gift from the then Government of India to the then Government of Maldives. From that moment on, they have been crossing milestones after milestones.

“To begin with, we are so glad to have played a significant role to help attain this remarkable feat. Although this is not our first newsworthy achievement, we keep cherishing such moments with pride as Macsons Shipping trail blazes itself to greater heights moving from strength to strength,” says Roshan Miranda, Director of Macsons Shipping.

Congratulations to Macsons Shipping and wishing them the best for their future endeavors!

Express Air Freight, Headway, Infinity Shipping Services, Kopf + Lubben Cargo Services, Movers International and The Solution, sponsor The Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

Posted on 22 October, 2021 | by admin

The online meeting will take place on 15th and 16th November on The Coop’s special cloud conferencing platform

The Cooperative Logistics Network will offer its members the opportunity of coming together once again on the cloud on 15th and 16th November to promote their brands and talk to their network partners to secure more businesses. This year, Express Air Freight, Headway, Infinity Shipping Services, Kopf + Lubben Cargo Services, Movers International and The Solution, are sponsoring the event.

The one-to-one video conferences will help the members to have constructive communication with their network partners. The meeting will bring together all the network members on one platform thus enabling them to interact with their network partners, showcase their businesses, and make way for several collaborative projects. Additionally, the meeting will allow the agents to forge new ties with their partners, nurture the existing connections, and do the talking for the upcoming projects.

The Coop's 2nd Virtual Meeting-independent freight forwarders — Sponsors for the Coop’s 2nd Virtual Meeting

Express Air Freight, which started its journey in 1990 is a Coop member in New York, USA. Their innovative solutions, and ability to meet tight time constraints, allow them to serve a multitude of industries. Their team provides customer-oriented services and bespoke solutions for all logistical requirements of their clients. As an IATA member, they are known for their personalized door-to-door air freight services. Furthermore, they provide sea and road freight services along with customs brokerage services.

Headway is a Coop member in Hanoi, Vietnam. They offer value-added logistical services and innovative solutions for their customers. Other than providing air/sea/road freight services, they also provide insurance and brokerage services. Their skilled team and cost-effective services have made them the go-to freight forwarder in Hanoi and beyond.

Infinity shipping – a Coop member in Karachi, Pakistan is a logistics company that specializes in air, road, and ocean freight services. Their company is a one-stop shop for global transport requirements. Infinity works with a committed focus on reducing transport costs for exporters, importers & logistics partners. Additionally, they offer customs brokerage services, break bulk chartering services, and warehousing services.

Kopf+ Lubben Cargo Services is a Coop member in Frankfurt, Bremen, and Hamburg, Germany. Since their inception in 1976, they have been offering innovative logistical solutions for their global clients. Their long experience, skilled workforce, strategic expertise, and several accreditations make them the preferred choice of their clients and partners.

Movers International is a Coop member in Delhi, India, that is serving the logistics industry for over two decades. In the last twenty years they have garnered several prestigious awards in the freight forwarding industry. They provide comprehensive air/sea/ground freight services along with customs management and warehousing services from over 14 offices all over India.

The Solution is a Coop member in Genoa, Italy. As a leading provider of end-to-end supply chain solutions, they offer specialized services in the sea and road freight sector. The Solution team makes sure to handle every last detail of their client’s special logistics requirement. Moreover, they also provide shipment tracking abilities to their customers.

Sinocarry Logistics completes 10 year in business

Posted on 24 September, 2021 | by admin

To celebrate this occasion they are having a lucky draw and also giving out gold and silver medals to select employees

Sinocarry Logistics Co Ltd, a Coop member in Shanghai, China, is celebrating their 10th Anniversary. They are organizing a small party with their team members where they will have a lucky draw. Additionally, they are awarding silver medals to employees with over 5 years of service and gold medals for employees who are with them for more than 10 years. They are also handing out medals to employees with special contributions to their growth.

Sinocarry Logistics- independent freight forwarder — Sinocarry Logistics celebrates their 10th anniversary

Sinocarry was founded in Nov 2011. In the last 10 years they expanded their company, invested in technology, and started e-commerce and warehousing operations. They have been handling over 3000 tons of airfreight and more than 2000 TEU of sea freight every month. Sinocarry also has the qualifications of NVOCC, IATA, and FMC.

Since the beginning of 2020, they handled 310 charter flights to deliver medical supplies to all parts of the world. Moreover, they also handle several charitable shipments. For instance, they moved three charter flights for the Red Cross Society of China for free, and provided free services for NGOs. Between April to June 2021, they moved a large number of oxygen generators and other materials for charity organizations in India free of charge.

As stated by Mr Walter Wang from Sinocarry Logistics, “Over the past 10 years, we have experienced difficulties, surprises, good things and bad things. We have a fantastic team which we are most proud of. Our business volume has reached new highs. In the first quarter of this year, we have completed the profit target for the first half of the year. We believe that together we can overcome all difficulties. We never shrink back but always look forward to the future instead and the future will get better and better.”

Congratulations to Sinocarry Logistics and wishing them best for their future endeavours!