Taiwan’s transport minister has said that the working group formed by Maritime Port Bureau in January to counteract the impact of container shortages and rising freight rates must continue to operate in the near term.
[s2If is_user_logged_in()]Container freight rates soared to record highs as liner operators blanked sailings and there was a shortage of equipment amid the Covid-19 pandemic that began in 2020.
During a conference on 24 February that brought together liner operators, shippers, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Executive Yuan’s Council of Agriculture, the minister of transport and communications, Lin Chia-lung, said that Taiwanese liner operators expect to take delivery of 46 newbuildings this year, adding 330,000TEU of capacity. The minister said he wants the shipping companies to do their best to meet demand from Taiwanese importers and exporters.
Shipping databases show that newbuilding deliveries expected by Taiwanese liner operators this year include 32 ships from Evergreen, Wan Hai has nine vessels and Yang Ming has seven vessels.
However, it is possible that the delivery of ships scheduled for completion in December may be pushed to January 2022. It is common for ship owners to push back newbuilding deliveries from December to January the following year, in order to extend the year of build.
With the pandemic ongoing, Lin instructed the Maritime Port Bureau to be ready to respond to heightened demand during the Q3 traditional peak season.
Lin said that his ministry urges shipping companies, shippers and port operators to grasp this opportunity to deepen partnerships and accelerate the movement of goods, in order to maintain Taiwan’s economic competitiveness.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
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