The multimodal network news digest - issue #27

The end of an era: MSC and Maersk are ending the 2M alliance. The process will be finalized in January 2025. The decision is based on the state of the market that has undergone drastic changes and the need of each company to pursue individual goals. The alliance has become too difficult to integrate into different market verticals. What will happen next? Experts predict that MSC has grown big enough to be on its own (if the rumors are true, MSC will have stretched its orderbook to 134 ships more, totalling 1.84m teu), while for Maersk it is different. The company has kept the fleet flat, focusing on being an end-to-end logistics integrator, so Maersk will probably concentrate on its key markets. it has already announced that it will continue to be active in vessel-sharing agreements. Maersk has also given a glimpse of its strategy: the company discontinued shipping lines Hamburg Süd and Sealand for the sake of creating one consolidated brand. 

Routes and services 

• The eastern branch of the International North-South Transport Corridor gets a new service. KTZ Express now provides service from Mundra, in western India, to Almaty, in southeastern Kazakhstan via Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
• TX Logistik has launched two new connections between the port of Wilhelmshaven and southern Germany. The destination in Nuremberg is the Tricon container terminal and in Kornwestheim the train is destined for the Duss Kombiterminal. 
• To strengthen the connection between the port of La Spezia and the rest of Europe, Hannibal launches a new rail service between Marzaglia and Melzo, near Milan.
• Starting in February, CMA CGM will provide an intermodal service in Indonesia through the capital Jakarta. Cargo will be transported worldwide from Semarang and Surabaya. 
• YILPORT San Cataldo Container Terminal SpA has handled the first goods train at the Molo Polisettoriale of the Port of Taranto since the line restarted its work. 
• The newest cargo service by Hapag-Lloyd has added Jubail Commercial Port to the India Gulf Service 1. 

Other 

• To replace the current EU laws regulating transportation in the UK, the country is contemplating adopting Consortia Block Exemption Regulation. The current regulation expires in April 2023. The CMA warned that the new regulation should be in alignment with the existing one otherwise it can lead to higher costs for UK customers. 
• Bangladesh Customs has extended its authorized economic operator to nine more companies. This will help to avoid potential congestion as for this kind of companies, cargo does not go through physical checking and is directly delivered to factories or warehouses. 
• the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 is reportedly bringing fruits: since summer $700,000 in charges being refunded by carriers following the complaints reported to FMC. 
• Russian container market experienced a 15.8% year-on-year decline, despite the volumes coming from the Far East and even the launch of the liner service from the Black Sea port of Novorossyisk to India. Geopolitical constraints prevail. 
• The turbulent period for container rates to Asia is ahead after the Chinese New Year, so the carriers are all ready for the new blank sailings. Xeneta’s XSI Asia-North Europe component went down 2%  to $1,786 per 40ft, compared with $14,524 in the same period of 2022.

These are only several changes that occurred in more than 250 bn freight rates across 25 million routes with more than 1 million market players. Want to share some news about your company, services, and routes? Just post them on MAXMODAL, a multimodal network that digitally connects routes and rates worldwide to automate sales and operations across container transportation & logistics industry. Join to innovate.