(CCTV finance and economics "economic information broadcast") today, the global shipping industry can be described as "ice and fire two days". The epidemic situation in overseas countries is severe, the manpower is insufficient, and the port containers are piled up like a mountain; The major ports in Asia are busy with transportation, but they are often plagued by "lack of containers" and "lack of containers". Container prices have soared, and some shipping routes have risen nearly 10 times. It is still "hard to find one container".
Domestic ports are thirsty for containers and foreign trade enterprises are hard to find one
For some time, in many domestic ports, container registries are always full of waiting people.
Since the third quarter of last year, the phenomenon of shortage of containers and containers has spread in major ports. According to many media reports, some scalpers take the opportunity to sit on the ground and start prices, and some routes may not be able to grab a container if they increase the price by US $3000. There are also a large number of manufacturers who are worried about the lack of containers. The warehouse of a handicraft manufacturing enterprise in Ningbo is full of products that haven't been transported, with a total volume of 1000 cubic meters.
Lin Liping, deputy general manager of an import and Export Co., Ltd. in Ningbo: This is our TV shopping customer in Germany. All the 20 containers have to leave since the beginning of November 2020. Up to now, there is no definite shipping schedule.
The anxieties of enterprises constantly push up the sales price of containers. In the first half of 2020, the price of a 20 foot small box was $1600, and now the highest price has reached $3600, while the price of a popular 40 foot box has risen to $5950, all doubling and reaching an all-time high.
Different from "one container is hard to find" in China, Auckland port in New Zealand has a serious backlog of empty containers. Since the second half of 2020, in order to store those empty containers that cannot be transported, they have found five new storage yards, and at most, nearly 6000 empty containers are stranded in Auckland.
Mark Scott, operation director of COSCO Shipping Group (New Zealand) Co., Ltd.: the container backlog of all shipping companies in New Zealand is very serious, which is twice the normal situation.
Data show that 10000 to 15000 containers are stranded in California. At felixto port in Britain, containers have spread from the port to the surrounding suburbs. The number of empty containers in Australian ports exceeds 50000. At present, the stock of empty containers in some important international ports is three times the normal level.
Roberto giannetta, chairman of Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association: we find that there are empty containers stranded in North America and Europe. In addition, empty containers in Australia and more are waiting to be transported back.
Mai Boliang, chairman of CIMC: there are more than 40 million containers operating in the world. We can produce 400000 containers a month, and we can produce 5 million in that year. If the boxes can't come back, you still can't solve the fundamental problem.
Global economic recovery, China's manufacturing industry drives shipping demand
This wave of price increase in the shipping industry is affected by multiple factors, such as the severe epidemic overseas and the obstruction of the Suez Canal, which have doubled the pressure on the shipping industry.
In the intelligent workshop of a household appliance enterprise in Guangzhou, workers are working hard to make TV sets for Europe and America. Now the export order of the enterprise has been arranged two months later, but the person in charge of the enterprise logistics is not happy.
Long Hui, deputy director of the material management department of a company in Guangdong: at present, the domestic container (container) resources are very tight, and it is very difficult for us to book the space, which will affect the normal operation of our production.
With the recovery of global economy, the trade demand of various countries has increased greatly. Due to the effective control of China's epidemic situation, China's manufacturing industry bears an important responsibility in the global industrial chain. Data show that: in the first four months of this year, China's total import and export value of trade goods increased by 28.5% over the same period in 2020 and 21.8% over the same period in 2019.
Ding Yifan, researcher of the World Development Research Institute of the development research center of the State Council: a large number of goods continue to flow from China to overseas, which shows that China's production capacity is particularly strong. Now in the midst of the epidemic, what you can count on is made in China.
Although it has been two months since the Suez Canal blockage incident, the aftereffects of its follow-up are not yet clear. Coupled with the COVID-19 superposition effect, the phenomenon of transport disruption and port congestion is spreading all over the world. There are sometimes more than 10 container ships waiting for loading and unloading at the anchorage outside Auckland port, New Zealand, with an average delay of 8 to 10 days.
New Zealand Auckland port spokesman Matt Boer: under the epidemic, the strong growth of import demand led to a substantial increase in handling capacity. We are seriously understaffed to meet the loading and unloading needs.
Currently, at least seven of the 10 busiest ports in the United States often face congestion. In Southeast Asia, Europe and other major ports, ships have been waiting for berthing for more than a week.
Simon sheeney, consultant of Drury shipping consulting company: This is undoubtedly a global supply chain crisis. We think it will continue into the fourth quarter and possibly into the end of this year.
The situation on board is also not optimistic. COVID-19 is always threatening seafarers' health. Maersk is the world's largest container transport company, with 30% of its crew coming from India. The two outbreak of COVID-19 in India has caused great impact on the company's business.
If the ban on seafarers is extended from a few weeks to a few months, it will bring challenges to our industry.
India is one of the most important suppliers of seafarers in the world, and 15% of the world's seafarers come from India. The recent catastrophic surge in the epidemic in India has prompted some ports to impose restrictions on crew members and ships coming to India.
China is working hard to dredge the artery of maritime trade
At present, 90% of the transportation volume of world trade is completed by sea transportation. Poor shipping will have a devastating impact on the global economic recovery. Therefore, China has taken many measures to dredge the main artery of Global trade.
If the ban on seafarers is extended from a few weeks to a few months, it will bring challenges to our industry.
India is one of the most important suppliers of seafarers in the world, and 15% of the world's seafarers come from India. The recent catastrophic surge in the epidemic in India has prompted some ports to impose restrictions on crew members and ships coming to India.
China is working hard to dredge the artery of maritime trade
At present, 90% of the transportation volume of world trade is completed by sea transportation. Poor shipping will have a devastating impact on the global economic recovery. Therefore, China has taken many measures to dredge the main artery of Global trade.
At the same time, the major ports are also actively striving for the return of empty containers. Recently, a freighter loaded with TEUs slowly approached Ningbo port. Unlike in the past, more than 13000 containers on board were empty. After the ship berths, the empty containers will be first unloaded and sent to the whole country.
Kang Shuchun, President of international freight forwarding branch of China Federation of logistics and purchasing: the average freight of a container from China to the United States used to be $2000. Now it's $20000 or more, and there's a 10 times profit margin in the middle. Even if the return cost is very high, the return cost of empty containers can be covered by the profit margin of outbound freight, so now we are trying to find a way to transfer the overseas empty containers back.
In the context of poor shipping, China EU trains have recently become a hot spot for overseas trade and transportation. Data show that: in the first quarter of this year, the number of China EU trains entering and leaving the port of Manzhouli and Suifenhe increased by 65.8% and 65.4% respectively.
Yin Guofeng, head of a foreign trade enterprise in Zhejiang Province: at present, the difference between China Europe train and sea freight is less than US $1000, so everyone will take China Europe train. It means that the faster the goods go out, the less money they advance.
China Europe trains, air freight, container rail and waterway transport and other measures have opened a "new way" for China's foreign trade. However, in the face of the huge demand for shipping, these measures are just a drop in the ocean.
Kang Shuchun, President of international freight forwarding branch of China Federation of logistics and purchasing: because sea transportation accounts for more than 90% of the world's trade and transportation, air transportation and railway transportation account for only about 5%.
Ding Yifan, researcher of the World Development Institute of the development research center of the State Council: now we have to look at the second half of the year. With the popularization of vaccines and the overall control of the epidemic situation, production and transportation can return to a relatively stable level.
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(editor Zhang Caihong)