As usual, there were many ocean carrier winners and losers in the transpacific tradelane last year. Matthew Beddow looks at how some of the major players performed, and the service distinguishing prospects that lie ahead for shippers. In the cover story of CI's May issue entitled 'The price of fuel fixing', the writer outlined the main changes that have taken place in the transpacific tradelane since the beginning of last year, and the way in which ocean carriers adjusted their fleet capacities to cope with declining trade growth to the US. The lamentable, loss-making way in which fuel surcharges were handled was also covered. But how did ocean carriers front up to each other during the period, and what are the consequent signals that need to be taken on board by shippers?
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