Quasi-conference TSA closes as role redundant in mega merger world

    The 29-year-old quasi-shipping conference, the Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement (TSA), is closing its doors, having found its role no longer viable in the face of radical changes in the industry in recent years.

    "During these challenging times, it became apparent that the TSA's original mission was no longer viable," said TSA executive administrator Brian Conrad.

    "The transpacific trade and, more broadly, ocean transportation worldwide, has experienced significant changes in the past few years," he said.

    TSA was among the first "carrier discussion agreements" formed after passage of the US 1984 Shipping Act. But unlike its Asia-Europe counterpart, the Far Eastern Freight Conference, which was banned by the EU in 2008, TSA did not set rates, but "recommended" changes to them. This would have been against the law in Europe, but not in the United States and Canada, which the TSA served.

    Said Mr Conrad: "I believe that TSA has performed an important role over the years in supporting the development of U.S. international trade."

    Member lines of the TSA were APL (now merged with CMA CGM), "K" Line (now bundled into ONE with NYK and MOL), CSCL (merged into Cosco), Maersk Line, CMA-CGM, MSC, Cosco, NYK (now bundled into ONE) and MOL (also bundled into ONE), Evergreen Line, OOCL (soon to be merged with Cosco), Hanjin Shipping (bankrupt), Yangming, Hapag-Lloyd, Zim and Hyundai Merchant Marine.

Singapore says TPP, born again as CPTPP, is now headed for adoption

    The 11 remaining members of a Pacific trade pact abandoned by the US have agreed on a revised agreement, with the nations to work toward signing the deal by early March, according to the Singapore Government.

    A communique from Singapore's trade ministry said outstanding issues had been resolved, suspended provisions had been listed and legal verification of the agreement had been completed.

    This concluded negotiations on what has been renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), reported Bloomberg News.

    The deal was reached after two days of talks in Tokyo, and came just hours after the US imposed tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines.

    The whole agreement looked like it might collapse after contentious negotiations in November, when Canada's participation was thrown into doubt.

    Japan's Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Canada has agreed to work toward approving the deal, and he believed they would follow through on that.

MOL announces December rating of its key performance indicators

    Japanse shipping giant MOL Liner has announced its December results of Regional Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in Asia.

    The KPI ratings cover operations, such as in-terminal truck turn times, customer service, documentation accuracy, lost calls and electronic data interchange (EDI) failures.

    Throughout the month MOL scored itself in the high 90s, only once slipping to 95.5 per cent with other categories scoring 98 and 99 per cent with one flawless 100 per cent performance in customer set up time.

    KPIs were taken at Cai Mep, Kobi, Osaka, Yokohama, Tokyo, Nagoya and Tobishima.

(Source:HKSG-GROUP)

Asia Pacific Shipping

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