P3 Alliance News

The world’s largest shipping alliance 2M partners - Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co  (MSC) -  have been quick to offer shippers an alternate service on the transpacific trade in the wake of Hanjin Shipping’s collapse. The Partners are all set to  fill the gaps created by Korean owner’s receivership. However, there is controversy over legal force of the contract in which Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. (HMM) signed to join 2M, reports Business Korea. It has been found that HMM signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Maersk Line and MSC in July to join the 2M alliance, not a typical contract that other companies sign to join an alliance. So, the MOU has less legal binding force than the contract.

Commissioner William P. Doyle of the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission today voted in favor of requesting additional information from The Ocean Alliance parties. The Request for Additional Information (RFAI) effectively stops the clock on the agreement until such time as the filing parties answer the questions proposed in the RFAI. Once those questions are answered and filed with the Commission, a new 45-day clock commences. This Ocean Alliance agreement was filed with the Commission on July 15, 2016, and would have become effective on August 29, 2016, absent Commission action.

Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the world's two largest container shippers, won approval from U.S. maritime regulators for a planned vessel sharing pact, bringing it a step closer after a bid for a larger alliance failed. The so-called 2M alliance would see the two carriers pool 185 ships on European, transatlantic and transpacific services, which Maersk Line says would save it $350 million a year. The proposal follows the rejection in June of a larger planned venture involving Maersk, MSC and France's CMA CGM by China's Ministry of Commerce on competition grounds.

Danaos Corporation ("Danaos") (NYSE: DAC), a leading international owner of containerships, today reported unaudited results for the period ended June 30, 2014. *Operating revenues of $136.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014 compared to $146.6 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013, a decrease of 7.0%. Operating revenues of $271.9 million for the six months ended June 30, 2014 compared to $292.7 million for the six months ended June 30, 2013, a decrease of 7.1%. *Adjusted EBITDA1 of $99.0 million for the three months ended June 30, 2014 compared to $107.4 million for the three months ended June 30, 2013, a decrease of 7.8%.

The formation of 2M is only the conclusion of the latest round of mega-alliance negotiations. Ocean carriers are clearly not yet done with mega-alliance expansion following China’s rejection of P3. Maersk and MSC’s subsequent 2M agreement is only the latest. Evergreen and the CKYH alliance are still talking to the US’ Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) about extending the scope of their operating agreement between Asia and Europe to include the US, and CMA CGM has yet to clarify who its new partners will be. New partnerships are required as no one has yet come up with a better alternative to reduce costs and improve service frequency at the same time, short of take-overs and mergers.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) yesterday announced that they have not approved the P3 Network (P3). P3 was a long-term operational vessel sharing agreement proposed by MSC, CMA CGM, and Maersk Line. The MOFCOM’s decision follows a review under China's merger control rules. The P3 partners take note of and respect MOFCOM’s decision. Subsequently, the partners have agreed to stop the preparatory work on the P3 Network and the P3 Network as initially planned will not come into existence. “In Maersk Line we have worked hard to address the Chinese questions and concerns. So of course it is a disappointment. P3 would have provided Maersk Line with a more efficient network and our customers with a better product.

Maersk and MSC have just announced a mega vessel sharing agreement that will replace their failed P3 alliance early next year. It will be smaller, and compare well in size with the G6 and CKYH alliances – but what about CMA CGM? Maersk and MSC have taken on board China’s objections to the P3 alliance by coming up with a new vessel sharing arrangement called 2M that they hope will be agreed by all regulatory authorities before the beginning of next year. Out has gone CMA CGM, in order to bring the agreement’s market share down to more acceptable levels, and in has come a much simpler joint co-ordination committee to monitor the carriers’ network on a daily basis.

Maersk Line today announced a 10-year Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA) with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) on the Asia-Europe, Transatlantic and Transpacific trades. The VSA, to be referred to as 2M, replaces all existing VSAs and slot purchase agreements that Maersk Line has in these trades. The VSA will include 185 vessels with an estimated capacity of 2.1 million TEU, deployed on 21 strings. The overall purpose of the cooperation is to share infrastructure (network). Maersk Line and MSC will be able to provide their customers with more stable and frequent services…

As freight rates keep declining, cost reductions are the top priority for box carriers, according to Drewry's 2Q14 'Container Forecaster', highlighting that there is a widening gap between the positive financials of the few carriers really focused on cutting costs and the rest of the top 20 lines, as they battle with the pressure of falling freight rates. Drewry forecasts that once again, average freight rates will be lower than in the previous year. Drewry estimates that on the headhaul transpacific trade alone, carriers have given away in the region of $1.25 billion in annual revenue via the lower annual contracts they signed with Beneficial Cargo Owner clients in May.

As freight rates keep declining, cost reductions are the top priority for box carriers. Drewry’s 2Q14 Container Forecaster highlights that there is a widening gap between the positive financials of the few carriers really focused on cutting costs and the rest of the top 20 lines, as they battle with the pressure of falling freight rates. Drewry forecasts that once again, average freight rates will be lower than in the previous year. Drewry estimates that on the headhaul transpacific trade alone…

The proposed container ship P3 alliance between the 255-ship fleets of Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. and CMA CGM was turned down by China's Anti-monopoly Bureau at the Ministry of Commerce, because the P3 alliance intended to set up a joint operations centre unlike other traditional shipping alliances. "On June 17, 2014, Ministry of Commerce announced its disapproval after the anti-monopoly investigation in the concentration of undertakings of Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. and CMA CGM establishing an 'Internet' [online operations] center. The large-scale collaboration of the three largest shipping companies in the world will bring profound influence to global shipping industry, and attract high attention from all circles.

The North European ports of Rotterdam and Hamburg are experiencing significant congestion, an echo of the issues last seen around the world during the boom of the early/mid 2000s – before the global financial crash took over. The causes of the current congestion are numerous, but poor carrier schedule reliability is high on the list. Are these port congestion problems just temporary, or indicative of a new paradigm for the industry? Drewry Maritime Research considers possibilities in their latest 'Container Insight Weekly'. The current congestion difficulties  of Rotterdam and Hamburg are partly because terminal capacity is being affected by work to upgrade existing facilities (such as installing new cranes at the ECT Delta terminal) and also because…

Over the past three years, DELO Group, a Russian private transport company, has implemented an investment program, including rail and other adjacent port infrastructure, construction of stevedoring and inland storage terminals for oil products, construction of the KSK grain terminal, acquisition of 50% of the NUTEP container terminal from its JV partner and an expansion program turning the terminal into a chief container terminal throughout Russian coasts. “We are planning to double capacity at NUTEP from 350,000 to 600 - 700,000 TEU,” said Andrei Bubnov, CFO of DELO Group.

The recent decision by Chinese antitrust authorities to block approval of the P3 Ocean Carrier Alliance has increased the demand for Ocean Contract Management. In response, Freightgate is offering free demonstration of its award winning Rate & Tender Management Tariff-Trek! Solution. The proposed mega-alliance by the world’s three biggest shipping - Maersk, Mediterranean Shipping Co and CMA CGM would have created common tariff pricing to most of the world’s ocean ports. It was estimated the P3 alliance would have controlled 42 percent on the Asia-to-Europe route, 24 percent in the trans-Pacific trade, and up to 42 percent in the trans-Atlantic. Now, says Freightgate, shippers are in a better negotiating position to control their ocean freight costs.

India will hardly be impacted by the planned P3 network not getting implemented. The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) have announced that they have not approved the P3 Network (Maersk Line, MSC and CMA CGM). The MOFCOM’s decision follows a review under China's merger control rules. The P3 partners take note of and respect MOFCOM’s decision. Subsequently, the partners have agreed to stop the preparatory work on the P3 Network and the P3 Network as initially planned will not come into existence. Mr. Franck Dedenis, Managing Director for Maersk Line (India and Sri Lanka), said, “P3 would have provided Maersk Line with a more efficient network and our customers with a better product, globally.

A.P. Moller-Maersk said on Tuesday it had abandoned a planned ship pooling network after China's Ministry of Commerce surprisingly announced it had not approved it. Maersk shares were down 6.2 percent at 1100 GMT compared with a 0.7 percent fall in the Danish benchmark index . The idea, known as P3 and announced last June, called for the company along with Swiss firm Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and France's CMA CGM to pool about 250 ships to cut costs. "This is very negative for Maersk. They won't achieve about one billion dollars in cost savings, equivalent to 5-6 percent of unit costs," analyst Jacob Pedersen from Sydbank said.

The MSC shipping company is to consolidate all its activities in the port of Antwerp in the Deurganck dock, on the left bank of the Scheldt. The Port Authority board of directors gave the go-ahead for the move on Monday evening. The transfer is necessary in order to permit further expansion by MSC in Antwerp. The shipping company announced at the end of last year that it wished to have a new location below the locks, not only because its present site in the Delwaide dock had reached saturation point but also because of the increasing size of the ships being introduced. The Deurganck dock was the obvious choice, as it is already used by the other members of the P3 alliance of which MSC forms part, and furthermore the alliance plans to make even greater use of it in future.

The Port of Felixstowe has welcomed the first call at the UK’s largest container port of Evergreen’s CES (China Europe Shuttle) service. The 8,452 TEU Ever Laden launched the service from the Port of Britain in late May. The CES Service links North Europe to Asia with calls in Taiwan as well as China. The service has recently been calling at ports in continental Europe only. Commenting on the decision by Evergreen to introduce a UK call at Felixstowe, Clemence Cheng, Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited Chief Executive Officer, said, “The decision by Evergreen to call at the Port of Felixstowe underlines our position as the port of choice for container lines in the UK.

Bigger container ships are resulting in much greater peaks in container terminal activity, which together with the ever larger combined volumes of bigger alliances, demands fewer, larger terminals in each port. Terminal operators are reacting by consolidating terminal layouts and ownership – and by working more closely together – but what are the consequences for their customers? Drewry Maritime Research discuss in this extract from their latest 'Container Insight Weekly'. A recent visit to the Eurogate terminal in Hamburg by China Shipping’s post-Panamax vessel CSCL Le Havre involved an exchange of 11,600 teu, illustrating the sheer scale of volumes per call that terminals increasingly have to deal with. The vessel is shared with CMA CGM and UASC.

European Union antitrust regulators have not found any anti-competitive impact relating to an alliance of world No. 1 container shipping company AP Moller-Maersk with two of its peers, the European Commission said on Tuesday. "At this stage, the Commission does not intend to open proceedings in relation to P3 or G6," said Antoine Colombani, Commission spokesman for competition policy, referring to two shipping alliances, one of which was formed by Maersk. "The Commission will…

Today, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) in China announced that they have not given their approval to the P3 Network. On March 24, 2014, the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) decided to allow the P3 Network agreement to become effective in the U.S., and on June 3, 2014, the European Commission informed the P3 partners that it had decided not to open an antitrust investigation into P3 and had closed its file. MOFCOM’s decision follows a review under China's merger control rules and is different from the positions of the FMC and the European Commission.

The P3 agreement between Maersk, MSC, and CGM CMA continues to roil the waters. While the agreement’s pros-and cons are about to be scrutinized in an upcoming meeting between America’s Federal Maritime Commission, the European Competition Commission, and China’s Ministry of Transport, carriers outside the P3 are aggressively taking steps to stay competitive regardless of the regulators final decision. Hapag-Lloyd and CSAV announced 5 December they have been holding discussions on the possibility of merger or some other form of co-operation.

Little change occurred in the latest monthly Stifel Logistics Confidence Index. Slipping only 0.1 points from 57 in March to 56.9 this month, the overall index did however favor improvements in the present situation increasing 1.6 points to 51.8. However, expectations for the next six months dimmed falling 1.8 points to 62 for April. The monthly airfreight data is such an example. For April, the present situation increased 0.5 points to 49 whereas expectations declined 2 points to 61.3. The present situation indicates a current market in contraction due to the index figure below the 50-level.