Pandemic-induced container shortage pressures freight rates from Asia to US,LatAm

摘要

HOUSTON(ICIS)--Efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus(Covid-19)across the globe have disrupted normal trade patterns,causing delays and contributing to higher freight rates from Asia,largely because of a shortage of shipping containers in major export ports.Chemical tanker freight rates from the US to most regions have fluctuated a bit but have been relatively stable since falling significantly at the outset of the pandemic.But container ships move polymers,such as polyethylene(PE)and polypropylene(PP),which is shipped in pellets.Container ships also carry a wider scope of cargoes,including consumer products like electrical appliances and automobiles,so demand for that space has risen as economies reopened after lockdown measures because of the pandemic.