News
U.S. exporters shipping container cargo to Asia will see changes in their overall freight costs beginning January 1, 2015, as current low-sulfur fuel charges are adjusted to reflect larger vessels, slow-steaming and stricter sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions standards.
Member shipping lines in the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA)'s westbound section are recommending a quarterly low-sulfur charge of US$47 per 40-foot container (FEU) and $38 per 20-foot container (TEU) from the U.S. West Coast, and $95 per FEU and $76 per TEU from the East and Gulf Coasts, effective January 1. The modified charge reflects both changes in per container operating costs from larger ships, improved fuel consumption and longer transit times, and the shift to burning cleaner, costlier marine gas oil (MGO) mandated within North American coastal waters as of January 1.
TSA's current recommended low-sulfur fuel charge in effect through December 31, 2014 is $21 per FEU and $17 per TEU from the West Coast, and $24 per FEU and $19 per TEU from the East and Gulf Coasts. For its westbound fuel charges, TSA said it will retain its historic pricing for 20-foot equipment at 80% of the FEU level.
