[100211.EN.SEA] Hapag-Lloyd To Phase Out Provision Of Its Own US Chassis

HAPAG-LLOYD has announced that it will gradually phase out the provision of chassis for merchant haulage (MH), inland transports throughout the US, effective April 1.

"As per our new chassis programme, we will no longer provide chassis for MH shipments. There will be no change to the chassis provision for carrier's haulage (door delivery) shipments. If truckers so desire they may use their own chassis," said a company statement.

The first cities to be affected by this change in policy will be Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Philadelphia. Other locations nationwide will be included in the programme throughout the course of the year. However, the dates for when Phoenix, Arizona, and Norfolk/Hampton Roads, Virginia, are yet to be decided.

Hapag-Lloyd said it currently does not provide chassis in Miami for neither carrier's haulage nor merchant haulage shipments, adding that this practice will continue.

To ensure continuity of service, Hapag-Lloyd said it will provide additional details such as chassis pool providers, contact information on a location-by-location basis at least 30 days prior to implementation.

The company added that it will revise its "interchange agreement to reflect a lower per diem for merchant haulage shipments."

London's Containerisation International said Hapag-Lloyd's policy change follows hot on the heels of similar decisions by Maersk Line, OOCL, NYK Line, Evergreen, Yang Ming, Hyundai Merchant Marine, CMA CGM and Atlantic Container Lines (ACL) to phase out the provision of their own chassis.

Earlier this month another German shipping giant, Hamburg Sud, abandoned its Philadelphia chassis supply service, with a statement that shippers, agents and consignees now must procure equipment directly from the Metro Chassis Pool or other chassis providers of their own choosing. 

Source : HKSG, 10.02.11.