Shippers critical, claiming it offers nothing new
Shipper group Shippers’ Voice has criticized Maersk Line’s new priority service that ensures containers are loaded onto a particular vessel
The online forum said shippers were unconvinced, as they felt it did not actually offer anything new. The site said some shippers had commented that “many lines have, in effect, been offering this for the past six months or more, by rolling freight that belongs to customers who have not agreed to a premium rate, when ships have been near to capacity.”
Shippers’ Voice also questioned whether the new service meant shippers that had signed space agreements were not actually guaranteed what they had paid for, unless they paid a premium.
Maersk said the price of its priority service would be based on supply and demand and could vary from week to week. But the cost per container would range from US$200 to $3,000.
The line said the rationale behind the product was that it would allow customers to determine the urgency of their shipment.
In the past, customers for space on Maersk vessels had been dealt with on a first-come, first-serve basis. The line said if a priority customer’s cargo was not loaded as agreed, there would be a refund of the upgrade price.
Source: Damian Brett, IFW News, 11 June 2010