Far East Maritime Brazil Petrobras Blogs

Hutch a step closer to taking over HK port

Posted to Far East Maritime (by Greg Knowler) on March 13, 2013

With 16 of 24 Kwai Tsing container terminal berths, the world’s biggest port operator has just Modern Terminals and one berth at CT3 to go before it can convert the entire Kwai Tsing container port into prime waterfront real estate when the sun inevitably sets on the Hong Kong box shipping business.

Hong Kong port’s days are numbered

Posted to Far East Maritime (by Greg Knowler) on November 28, 2012

Way back in the mists of 2004, the government of Hong Kong released its Port Masterplan: 2020. The plan, compiled by consultants GHK, took a comprehensive look at the port and its needs over the next couple of decades. Naturally the government watered down the first draft…

China looks inwards as export demand remains weak

Posted to Far East Maritime (by Greg Knowler) on October 25, 2012

China became known as the world’s factory by offering manufacturing costs that could not be matched by the developed nations. Its wages paid to uneducated rural migrant labour were a fraction of the mostly unionized pay required in the West, and land for factories was plentiful and cheap.

Evergreen shrugs off conservative cloak

Posted to Far East Maritime (by Greg Knowler) on April 26, 2012

Working out supply and demand is a tricky business at the best of times, so trying to predict the container shipping market a year or two in advance is as good as sucking a thumb and writing down the first thing that comes to mind. Looking at an Alphaliner chart of current vs ordered ships…

Top three driving Asia-Europe rates into the sea bed

Posted to Far East Maritime (by Greg Knowler) on October 26, 2011

Looking at the container shipping rates, it seems that for a carrier to even achieve zero rate would be an improvement. The bunker adjustment factors being charged are more than the rate per TEU, which means the lines are paying shippers to transport their cargo.