Supply, demand imbalances to pressure market through US peak import period: Matson

Hawaii-based container provider Matson mentioned Could 3 that it anticipates the trans-Pacific container commerce to stay off-kilter due to provide chain challenges not less than by way of October when the historic US peak import rush attracts to an in depth.

“Regardless of the near-term uncertainty introduced by the provision chain challenges in China, we count on a mixture of the present supply-and-demand elements to stay largely in place by way of not less than the October peak season,” Matson CEO Matt Cox mentioned in the course of the firm’s first-quarter earnings name Could 3.

Present supply-chain constraints introduced on by prolonged lockdowns have additional hampered restoration out there, whilst US demand stays untampered as stock ranges stay low.

“As factories in China resume manufacturing and shipments start to move at regular ranges, we count on to see a rise in marine visitors thereby including stress to many key factors in [US] infrastructure,” Cox mentioned.

The corporate expects demand for its expedited China-US companies to stay excessive by way of the US peak season, pushed by a powerful urge for food for e-commerce, clothes, and different items.

On the China-US commerce, the corporate’s container volumes got here to 46,600 forty-foot equal models, up 13.4% towards Q1 2021, this comes as many different ocean carriers have reported declining Q1 volumes amid port and inland logjams.

The corporate’s ocean transport division reported revenues up 68.4% to $943.9 million, primarily from elevated revenues in China and better fuel-related surcharge features, the corporate mentioned.
Charges come off document highs

“We continued to appreciate important charge premiums in Q1 2022 … common freight charges significantly increased than [a] yr in the past,” Cox mentioned.

The Platts Container Price index—a weighted common of S&P World’s key container assessments—was rangebound Could 3 at $5,809.85/FEU, up 12% from the year-ago evaluation of $5,174.2/FEU.

The index peaked at $7,645.37/FEU Sept. 7, 2021, and is presently up greater than 543% towards Could 3, 2019, earlier than international freight charges entered unprecedented territory on the again of worldwide supply-chain breakdowns.
Supply: Platts