Schlüter: Hot Competition for Every Slot
Sarah Schlüter, senior director niche products, Hapag Lloyd AG
The past one-and-a-half years have surely been a ride for us all. Initially we were fearful of whether our industry would be hit as hard as it was during the financial crisis, or wondering if we would scrape through with just a black eye. Today we simply know that the “normal” as we know it will definitely not become the “new normal” again.
Looking ahead into 2022, the liner carrier community predicts that the current situation will stay unchanged until the middle of next year. Port congestion will remain, putting a lot of strain on the liner network, and high ‘freight all kinds’ rates and increasing contract rates will put pressure on all non-standard types of cargo, leading to rate increases. Essentially, every type of cargo is competing for that one slot.
This situation will continue to make things difficult for project cargo – especially with a high number of slot displacements – particularly those destined for parts of the world with few liner service options. At Hapag-Lloyd AG we try to stay closely aligned with all stakeholders involved to find the best solution for our customers and make that space available, but this can definitely be a challenge at times.
In addition to continually improving the day-to-day handling of project cargo, our focus is also very much on digitalizing the project cargo part of our business as advancements in recent years have mainly pertained to regular cargo. It is crucial that we make the quotation and booking process simpler and faster not only for our customers but also for ourselves. Yes, project cargo is a little different from regular cargo, but that should not prevent us from pushing digital innovations that will help everyone who is part of the transport chain.
