DYNAMICS OF PRICES FOR CONTAINER SHIPPING IN 2013

Analyzing the container shipping market in 2013, Asia, in particular China, holds the best position in terms of turnovers. Chinese port such as Shanghai and Ningbo are in the first place in the world ranking in terms of cargo handling for container sea transportation.

The cost of sea freight container transportation on routes China-Europe is cyclical.

But sometimes such cyclicity for shippers or consignees can play into shipper's or consignees's hands, significantly reducing the actual transport costs comparing to planned, but sometimes brings substantial losses. It depends on the policy of carriers - shipping companies.

When sea freight rates are reduced - it means that there is a tendency for competition between shipping companies to capture a larger market share in the container shipping market. But the increase of the market share with a help of sea freight rates dumping, which results is losses, and leads to low income beeing unable to cover the cost of equipment service of shipping companies. 
As a result, expected increase in sea freight rates is bruited to cost $ 600-$ 900 dollars per TEU. For users of container transport that means "freezing supplies until "better times", reduced profits or even losses.

Below graph shows that displays the dynamics of sea freight rates on the China-Europe  rates (including the Black Sea )  for the TEU, in 2013.