Prospects brighten against backdrop of more consolidation

摘要

CONTAINER shipping faces another year of upheavals as mergers and acquisitions continue to reshape the industry. But industry conditions are undoubtedly improving. Fundamentals are the best for several years, with cargo volumes expanding at a respectable pace, both in the east-west, and north-south trades. The mature markets of Europe and North America are posting healthy growth figures, while emerging markets such as Brazil, West Africa, Middle East and Russia are also picking up, helped in part by higher oil prices.