Written by Jérôme de Ricqlès

Exclusive analysis on freight transport, supply chain and international trade topics

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    Jérôme de Ricqlès

    Expert in Ocean shipping for 25 years, Jerome puts all his knowledge of the industry to contribution for Upply. Ship captain at heart, he has written the English-French Lexicon of Containerized Shipping (Paris: CELSE, 2001).

    Will low value cargo return to conventional ships?

    Some low added value goods have been able to switch to container ships in recent years, thanks to low freight rates. Soaring transport prices in 2020 have changed the situation, however. So-called "poor" merchandise, which is to say goods of low value per cubic metre or tonne, were late coming to co...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    June 09 2021
    4 min

    What should shipping companies do with their exceptional profits?

    Ocean freight rates have stayed at astronomically high levels for longer than expected on all the major trade routes. The shipping companies are generating exceptional revenues and these can help them to respond to a number of challenges. The well-tried method of clinically adjusting capacity to mat...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    June 03 2021
    4 min

    The rise in ocean freight rates goes global

    The rise in freight rates is continuing and is now affecting virtually all maritime trade routes. Demand, meanwhile, is showing no sign of weakening. After the main East-West markets, the North-South and cross-trade markets are now experiencing a significant increase in freight rates. Only on the ea...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    May 18 2021
    2 min

    Port terminals under pressure

    Industrial relations are becoming increasingly strained in port terminals, which are being hit hard by the current disorganisation of the shipping lines. This poses a risk which the shipping companies should not take lightly. Container terminals need visibility to be able to plan their work and pers...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    May 04 2021
    2 min

    High ocean freight rates here to stay

    Helped by strong demand, container shipping freight rates stayed at high levels in March. The prospect of an early summer turn-round in the market in favour of shippers is starting to look unlikely. The shipping companies are continuing to push average transport prices upwards. Clients are increasin...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    April 15 2021
    2 min

    Ever Given owner declares general average: what shippers should do

    Shoe Kisen Kaisha, the Japanese company which owns the Ever Given, has declared general average. Its decision will have major consequences for cargo owners. The probably necessary but highly costly operation carried out by salvage company Smit to free the container ship Ever Given, which was stuck i...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    April 08 2021
    5 min

    Should shippers invest in their own container fleets ?

    The current container shortage is seriously disrupting the fluidity of the supply chain. Should shippers build up container fleets of their own? A first response. Draw me a container…On the shipping planet today, shippers would no doubt happily borrow the words of Antoine de Saint Exupery's Little P...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    April 02 2021
    3 min

    Little softening of demand or prices in the shipping sector

    The fall in demand generally seen at the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations did not occur this year. Ships are full and container freight rates are still high. "Take your annual holidays now. All the ships are full…" This half-joking remark from a shipping company executive sums up well the cu...
    Jérôme de Ricqlès
    March 25 2021
    2 min

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