Hamburg-headquartered ocean carrier Hapag-Lloyd said it will revise the bunker fuel factor (BFF) for its trans-Pacific eastbound services effective October.
The German shipping line said the BFF will encompass all dry, reefer, flat-rack and open-top containers from Asia, including the Indian Sub-Continent, to all U.S. and Canada destinations.
The new Bunker Fuel Factor (BFF) levels for the West Coast port of discharge will be US$415 from the previous $413 per 20-foot standard container, $519 from $516 per 40-foot standard container, $583 from $581 per 40-foot high-cube container, and $655 from $653 per 45-foot container.
Changes in the BFF for the East Coast port of discharge will be as follows: to $784 from $792 per 20-foot standard container, $980 from $990 per 40-foot standard container, $1,102 from $1,114 per 40-foot high-cube container, and $1,239 from $1,253 per 45-foot unit.
The changes take effect from October 1, 2014.
CMA CGM rate restoration in September
Meanwhile, CMA CGM will implement a general rate restoration on the Asia-Red Sea westbound service from September.
A rate hike of US$200 per 20-foot equivalent unit is to be levied from September 1 on all Asian ports (including Japan, Southeast Asia, and Bangladesh) to all Red Sea ports (including the ports of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, Ain Sukhna in Egypt, Aqaba in Jordania, Djibouti, Port Sudan in Sudan, Port Aden, and Hodeidah in Yemen).
The rate increase covers dry cargo, OOGs, paying empties, break-bulk cargo, and reefer cargo.
Port Reunion upgrade to maritime hub
The French shipping and logistics group also announced the recent signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOU) to turn Port Reunion on Reunion Island the CMA CGM group’s maritime hub in the Indian Ocean within 12 to 18 months.
“By choosing Port Reunion for its new hub, CMA CGM gives the port a new dimension, not only as a strategic center, where maritime lines from Europe, Africa and Asia intersect, but also as a key element in the CMA CGM Group’s development in Africa, where it already has a strong presence,” said a company release.
“The Memorandum of Understanding signed today in the presence of the President of the French Republic François Hollande will play an active part in the economic growth of the Reunion Island, and will reinforce its commercial ties not only with the surrounding islands, but also with Europe, Africa and Asia,” said group vice chairman Rodolphe Saadé, who signed the MOU.
Reunion Island is a territory of France located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar.
