Cargo space availability is now the main concern for shipping lines' clients

May 20, 2020

According to the annual shipper satisfaction survey of Consultant Drewry and the European Shippers' Council (ESC) the ability of container shipping lines to provide cargo space as needed showed a marginal improvement in 2019, but many respondents expect that the small gain will be dramatically reversed by the end of the first half of the year.

The survey, run jointly by the ESC and Drewry, reveals that the shippers and forwarders who took part rated the service of container shipping lines with an average score of 3.2 on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied).

Satisfaction with clarity of prices and surcharges, transit times and quality of customer service in 2019 ranked lowest - with scores of 2.8 to 3.

Satisfaction with availability of cargo space provided in 2019 ranked higher, at 3.3, and improved from 3.2 in 2018.

Availability of cargo space is now seen by shippers and forwarders as the most important criterion of carrier service, meaning that an improvement in cargo space availability in 2019 was a welcome development for the industry.

Shippers and forwarders also said that carrier performance has deteriorated between 2018 and 201 9 in four areas: the range of different available carriers, the range of different available services, the price of service and the overall carrier service quality.

Carrier performance related to sustainability/green and carrier financial stability has improved since 2019, according to respondents.

(Excerpted from a news release from ESC)