Container shipping service reliability has declined for the second successive quarter, in line with decreasing freight rates.
According to Drewry Maritime Research¡¯s latest Schedule Reliability Insight report, the proportion of the 2,972 vessel calls arriving on time at ports around the world in Q1 dropped to 51%, down from 55% in Q4 2010.
Despite showing the biggest decrease, the transpacific trade remained the most reliable of the three major east-west routes.
Reliability of transpacific services fell from 64% in Q4 last year to 55% in Q1 this year. In comparison, Asia-Europe/Mediterranean services dropped one percentage point to 49%, while transatlantic services went from 55% to 52%.
"The decline in service reliability during the first quarter of 2011 mirrors the sharp fall in freight rates that lines have had to endure," said Drewry.
Simon Heaney, Editor of Schedule Reliability Insight, said: "Drewry cannot speculate whether carriers are consciously rewarding or punishing their customers with varying service quality dependent on prices, but it can be assumed that low rates reduce the incentive to deliver above-average service reliability."
He added: "Compounding the problem, escalating fuel prices means carriers are probably less inclined to speed-up if the ship falls behind schedule." |
