Capacity boost on transpacific

Transpacific carriers have begun to increase capacity on the trade, following the start of new annual contracts, according to analyst AXS Alphaliner. 

The Paris-based firm said carriers had added 50,000teu of weekly capacity to the trade, representing a 17% increase in slots, since January. 

Alphaliner said the increase in capacity on the trade was larger than that introduced to the Far East-Europe trade. 

“The surge of service re-launches and capacity upgrades coincides with the beginning of the new annual Transpacific contract season,” the analyst said. “A total of 14 transpacific services were launched in April and May, of which four are replacement loops. 

“These services introduced a total of 37,400teu of additional weekly capacity, at a time when space had become extremely tight on the transpacific.” 

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