[250618.EN.SEA] Maersk Line Axes Services to Boost Parent Group's Profits

DENMARK's Maersk Line is overhauling its service network in an effort to generate higher earnings, after the latest quarterly results showed that A P Moller-Maersk suffered a loss of US$239 million.

Group CEO Soren Skou singled out Maersk Line for specific criticism, lashing the carrier for delivering "unsatisfactory" results. At last month's results announcement, Mr Skou said steps were being taken to bolster performance. These measures now include the scrapping of a number of unprofitable routes.

Maersk is not alone in struggling in the first months of this year with the majority of its peers also reporting losses on the back of weak freight rates and higher bunker and charter costs, reported Singapore's Splash 247.

"Carriers are fully aware that spot rates are under pressure this year and overall they have not secured meaningful increases on the key east-west lanes for BCO (beneficial cargo owner) contacted cargo," ClipperMaritime container consultant Neil Dekker said.

"It seems that some lines are looking at their portfolio of services to determine where it is now profitable to run a service and any that are not will be up for serious scrutiny."

Maersk along with MSC have both axed a service on the Asia to Middle East/Red Sea route - their Horn of Africa and Petra services respectively.

Spot rates into Jebel Ali have been below US$500 per TEU for most of the year and are on average 30 per cent below the levels recorded in the first half of 2017, ClipperMaritime data shows.

In addition, the AC5 loop previously launched on the Asia to west coast South America (WCSA) trade this April has been suspended. Maersk is now taking slots on competitor loops.

"This is a strategic shift with operators deploying tonnage in the markets that make money, although this will cut options for shippers on certain port pairs as carriers decide whether they want to be a vessel deployer or slot charterer," Mr Dekker commented.

It is understood that the re-launch of services on the Asia-WCSA trade in April caused spot rates to drop from an average of $2,000 per TEU to $500 per TEU in a matter of weeks and so their removal will help restore the supply/demand balance.

Source : HKSG.

[250618.ID.BIZ] Rekor Arus Balik, Lebih Dari 751.000 Kendaraan Kembali ke Jakarta Lewat Cikarang

KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. PT Jasa Marga Tbk (JSMR) telah melayani lebih dari 751.000 kendaraan yang kembali ke Jakarta melewati Gerbang Tol (GT) Cikarang Utama pada arus balik Lebaran 2018 samapi H+7 atau Sabtu lalu (23/6).

"Volume lalulintas akumulasi tersebut meningkat 50% dibandingkan dengan lalu lintas normal sebanyak 499.000 kendaraan." kata Irra Susiyanti, Senior Specialist Corporate Communications Jasa Marga dalam keterangan resminya yang dikutip, Senin (25/6).

Adapun jumlah kendaraan yang kembali ke Jakarta pada H+8 atau Minggu (24/6) diperkirakan mencapai 109.000 kendaraan atau meningkat 53% dari kondisi normal.

Sementara untuk H+7 (Sabtu, 23/6) sendiri, sebanyak 99.000 kendaraan, atau naik sebesar 38% dari lalu lintas normal sebesar 71.000 kendaraan melintasi GT Cikarang Utama arah Jakarta.

Hal lain yang membedakan dengan arus balik tahun lalu, di tahun 2018 ini Jasa Marga berhasil memecahkan catatan tertinggi melayani arus balik Lebaran yang berasal dari Timur melalui GT Cikarang Utama.

Sebanyak 130.000 kendaraan berhasil dilayani pada arus balik H+3 Lebaran, dimana angka ini naik 82% dari lalu lintas normal. Untuk mendukung pelayanan transaksi tersebut, Jasa Marga mengoptimalkan penggunaan gardu maksimal sebanyak total 34 gardu dan 15 mobile reader non stop di GT Cikarang Utama.

Di sisi lain, pada tahun ini, jalan tol Jakarta hingga Surabaya sudah dapat digunakan oleh pemudik. Selain ruas beroperasi, tahun ini Jasa Marga juga membuka total sepanjang 207,85 Km jalur fungsional, yang terbukti dapat mengurangi kepadatan dan mempercepat waktu tempuh perjalanan pemudik.

Pelayanan di rest rrea juga menjadi fokus perhatian, dengan menambah jumlah rest area, Tempat Istirahat Sementara (TIS) dan Parking Bay (PB) dengan total 68 titik di sepanjang jalan tol Jasa Marga, mengatur lalu lintas zonasi rest area, penambahan toilet mobile, serta bekerjasama dengan Pertamina untuk menyiapkan BBM kemasan.

Selain itu Jasa Marga juga bekerjasama dengan Kepolisian dan instansi terkait untuk melakukan berbagai manajemen rekayasa lalu lintas seperti contraflow dan one way (satu arah) yang diberlakukan secara situasional untuk mengatasi kepadatan yang terjadi ketika arus mudik dan arus balik.

Jasa Marga mengimbau kepada pengguna jalan tol yang hendak melakukan perjalanan balik untuk mengatur waktu keberangkatan guna menghindari kepadatan lalu lintas, serta memastikan kecukupan saldo uang elektronik sebelum memasuki jalan tol. Layanan top up tunai di gerbang tol hanya dilakukan dalam kondisi darurat. Selain itu, pastikan kecukupan BBM kendaraan sebelum memasuki perjalanan di jalan tol.

Sumber : Kontan, 25.06.18.

[240618.EN.BIZ] Raised Bayonne Bridge Brings Higher Box Volume to NYNJ Port

PORT of New York and New Jersey's cargo throughput has risen by eight per cent, the number of rail lifts is up by 18 per cent and bigger vessels have been calling at the port complex in the year since the Bayonne Bridge was raised.

In spite of fears that spikes in cargo exchange caused by mega ship calls could strain port resources and systems, congestion has not worsened, and terminal gate truck backups and chassis access problems have not materialised, according to port truckers, shippers and the New York Shipping Association (NYSA), reported IHS Media.

The opening of the elevated bridge in June 2017 has enabled containerships of more than 9,500 TEU to reach Maher Terminals, Port Newark Container Terminal (PNCT), Global Container Terminals (GCT) New York and APM Terminals. Prior to the bridge raising only GCT Bayonne could handle vessels of that size.

The largest ships to date to call at the port are 14,414 TEU ships on a monthly CMA CGM rotation from China.

Since the elevation, the port has seen a doubling in the number of ships sized 10,000 TEU or more calling at the port. In addition, the port's share of east coast-loaded cargo, on the decline since 2010, has ticked up, yet the port's share of Asian loaded cargo imported to the east coast has continued to drop.

The first year's performance prompted an positive assessment from port officials, with director Molly Campbell calling it "a good story, and it's good for the port." She said the port has seen a "continuing cascade of the larger ships." Truckers also agree that mega vessel arrivals appear to have sparked few problems.

Although the size of vessels has risen, the volume of cargo unloaded and loaded from the biggest ships has not so far changed much from the typical volume of an 8,000 TEU or 9,000 TEU ship.

Vessels sized 10,000 TEU to 11,000 TEU in 2017 loaded or unloaded between 45 and 54 per cent of their capacity, or between 4,500 TEU and 5,940 TEU, according to port authority figures.

In 2018 eight of the top 10 vessel exchanges were on vessels of 13,000 TEU, which handled cargo equal to 46 per cent of the capacity, or 6,000 TEU. All of those volumes are under the average figure for an 8,000 TEU to 9,000 TEU ship at the port, which in 2017 loaded or unloaded 75 per cent of its capacity, or between 6,000 TEU and 6,750 TEU.

The number of 10,000 TEU or more ships entering the port rose from between five and eight a month after the opening of the elevated bridge to 13 of that size in March. An average of ten ships of 10,000 TEU or more called at the port in the first quarter of 2018 and a total of 93 ships of that size called at the port in the first 10 months after the raised bridge opened, compared with 57 in the same period in 2017.

 

Source : HKSG.

[240618.ID.BIZ] Ini Rekomendasi SCI Soal Lalu Lintas Logistik Selama Libur Lebaran

KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. Supply Chain Indonesia (SCI) mengapresiasi penyelenggaraan transportasi dalam masa Idul Fitri tahun 2018 yang secara umum lebih baik dari beberapa tahun sebelumnya. Kelancaran transportasi terjadi terutama karena hasil pembangunan infrastruktur, terutama Tol Trans Jawa, dan koordinasi antar kementerian dan instansi pemerintah yang baik.

Namun, kelancaran tersebut juga diperoleh dengan pembatasan operasional armada barang melalui beberapa peraturan. Pertama, Peraturan Menteri Perhubungan (Permenhub) No. PM 34 Tahun 2018 tentang Pengaturan Lalu Lintas pada Masa Angkutan Lebaran Tahun 2018 yang membatasi operasional mobil barang dengan Jumlah Berat yang Diizinkan (JBI) lebih dari 14.000 kg, mobil barang dengan sumbu 3 atau lebih, dan mobil barang dengan kereta tempelan atau kereta gandengan.

"Peraturan itu juga membatasi mobil barang untuk pengangkutan bahan galian, bahan tambang, dan bahan bangunan yang meliputi besi, semen, dan kayu. Pembatasan operasional mobil barang tersebut berlaku di beberapa ruas jalan tol dan ruas jalan nasional utama di Pulau Jawa pada 12-14 Juni dan 22-24 Juni 2018," ujae Setijadi, Chairman SCI dalam siaran pers, Minggu (24/6).

Kedua, surat Menteri Perhubungan No.AJ.201/1/24 PHB 2018 tanggal 5 Juni 2018 perihal Antisipasi Peningkatan Volume Lalu Lintas di Ruas Jalan Tol tanggal 8-9 Juni 2018.

Ketiga, Direktur Jenderal Perhubungan Darat Kementerian Perhubungan mengeluarkan surat No. AJ.201/2/15/DRJD/2018 tanggal 15 Juni 2018 perihal Antisipasi Peningkatan Volume Lalu Lintas di Ruas Jalan Tol tanggal 19-20 Juni 2018.

Kedua surat itu dikeluarkan berkaitan dengan pergeseran prediksi puncak arus mudik dan balik. Mobil angkutan barang dihimbau untuk tidak melintasi ruas jalan Tol Jakarta-Cikampek dan Tol Jakarta-Merak pada waktu tersebut dan dapat melintasi ruas jalan arteri nasional.

Kepala Dinas Perhubungan (Dishub) Jabar pada 28 Mei 2018 juga mengeluarkan surat No. 551.6/959/Perkeretaapian perihal Penghentian Pengoperasian Kendaraan Angkutan Barang pada saat Libur Panjang Hari Raya Idul Fitri Tahun 2018/1439H. Dihimbau penghentian pengoperasian angkutan barang dari 8-23 Juni 2018.

"Beberapa peraturan pembatasan operasional armada itu dikeluarkan kurang dari 2 bulan sebelum masa pemberlakuan. Namun, surat antisipasi arus mudik dan balik masing-masing diterbitkan sangat mendadak, yaitu 3 dan 4 hari sebelumnya," lanjutnya.

Peraturan yang relatif mendadak ini berdampak tidak hanya bagi perusahaan transportasi yang sudah mengatur jadwal, namun juga perusahaan manufaktur, distributor, maupun pengecer. Industri manufaktur, misalnya, sudah menentukan tingkat persediaan (stok) dengan rencana pengiriman atau transportasi bahan baku mengacu peraturan awal. Penundaan penerimaan bahan baku dapat mengganggu proses produksinya.

Selain itu, pengiriman produk jadi juga tertunda, sehingga persediaan produk akan menumpuk dan membutuhkan tambahan gudang yang berarti ada penambahan biaya. Perusahaan transportasi juga menanggung kerugian karena jangka waktu pembatasan operasional armada selama dua minggu tersebut. Perusahaan tidak memperoleh pendapatan selama waktu tersebut, sementara ada biaya-biaya tetap yang harus dikeluarkan, termasuk biaya cicilan armada.

Peraturan atau surat edaran yang bersifat imbauan bisa menimbulkan perbedaan pendapat di lapangan, baik antara perusahaan transportasi dengan petugas, maupun antar petugas sendiri. Peraturan tambahan dari Dishub Jabar juga berpotensi mengganggu kegiatan pengiriman domestik maupun ekspor dan impor nasional, karena sebagian besar volume ekspor dan impor dari Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok adalah untuk industri di wilayah Jawa Barat.

"Berdasarkan data Supply Chain Indonesia (SCI), sekitar 79% volume ekspor dan 84% volume impor dari Pelabuhan Tanjung Priok pada tahun 2016 dari Jawa Barat," lanjutnya.

Oleh karena itu, SCI merekomendasikan perbaikan berkaitan dengan kebijakan dan peraturan penyelenggaraan transportasi barang untuk masa berikutnya. Pertama, peraturan pembatasan operasional armada barang ditetapkan jauh hari sebelumnya, yaitu pada awal tahun atau akhir tahun sebelumnya.

Sebelumnya, pemerintah harus menetapkan kalender nasional sebagai acuan penetapan waktu-waktu pembatasan operasional, baik untuk masa Idul Fitri, maupun hari libur keagamaan atau nasional lainnya.

Kedua, ketegasan sifat peraturan, apakah imbauan atau larangan. Ketidakpastian ini berpotensi membuka peluang penyimpangan di lapangan. Ketiga, sinkronisasi peraturan antara Kemhub dan Dishub, serta penyelenggara jalan tol.

Sumber : Kontan, 24.06.18.

[230618.EN.BIZ] Hong Kong Fears US-China Trade War Will Hurt Trade Volumes

SECRETARY for Commerce and Economic Development Edward Yau says Hong Kong is worried about the worsening trade row between China and the US given that 17 per cent, or HKD60 billion (US$7.6 billion) worth of Chinese exports in question passed through the city to the US, and nine per cent, or HKD6 billion, of US exports were transshipped via the city to mainland China.

"We are worried about the worsening Sino-US trade dispute and it is a pity to see that the goodwill the two countries built over the years is being lost," Mr Yau told the SCMP in a phone interview from Paris, France while on a business tour with Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

"We fear that the trade war will become an irreversible step as each side only cares about its own interests," he said.

Hong Kong also faced an "unquantifiable impact from the spillover" of the dispute between the US and Europe, which could lead to trade being diverted from Hong Kong, he said.

Beijing and Washington are ensnared in a tit-for-tat trade row, with China on June 19 vowing to use quantitative and qualitative measures to retaliate if US President Donald Trump's threat to impose a 10 per cent punitive tariff on US$200 billion worth of Chinese products went into effect.

Following Mr Trump's announcement on June 15 to impose 25 per cent tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports, Beijing responded by publishing a list of US products - ranging from soybeans to cars - that it would subject to retaliatory measures of the "same scale and intensity." Beijing calculated that the value of US product imports last year was $154 billion.

"Hong Kong can withstand the tariff tsunami if it continues to develop its regional relationships and Greater Bay Area and advancing on IT development," said American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong president Tara Joseph, referring to Beijing's plan to develop Hong Kong, Macau and nine cities in Guangdong into a new economic zone and IT-led powerhouse rivalling Silicon Valley in the US.

According to the Hong Kong government's trade figures, Asean became the city's second largest trade partner after mainland China last year in total trade. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is an economic bloc comprising Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Federation of Hong Kong Industries chairman Jimmy Kwok said Hong Kong companies in the re-export and transshipment business would be hit hardest.

"The trade war has spread to food such as meat and fish, which to some extent will put them in trouble," Mr Kwok said.

Source : HKSG.