PUBLISHER: The Load Star (www.theloadstar.com)
In an effort to attract larger shippers, Maersk is expected to announce that it will only handle cargo from direct shippers from 1 November, cutting out freight forwarders.
The Danish carrier has made no secret of its ambition to become the ‘integrator of the seas’, offering a single platform to allow shippers to book cargo from door-to-door, claiming it will simplify movements and offer beneficial cargo owners (BCOs) greater supply chain visibility.
However, major freight forwarders, including Kuehne + Nagel, currently offer much of the cargo mix for the carrier. But it has been claimed forwarders have been taking contract rates, of some $4,000/feu from Asia to Europe, and reselling to customers for $20,000/feu.