Bleak outlook for container logistic services in 2022

Container logistics sector will continue suffering from post-pandemic challenges in 2022, and experts say that the situation can go easier with long-term planning also covering fish cargoes, reports Megafishnet.com.

According to Maersk quoted by Fishnews, market representatives call the shortage of containers and appreciating services of container shipments to be one of the main problems of fish logistics against the background of the pandemic. It remains even after the partial lifting of strict restrictions in international traffic.

Representatives of the transport sector compare the current situation not only in the container segment, but also in logistics in general, with a snowball, which, in their opinion, will keep on running in 2022.

"There are many reasons, the main one is that delays and failures in logistics provoke delays, respectively, we should use more ships and containers to transport the same amount of cargo. Demand, accordingly, has also increased," Alexander Bobrakov, Sales Director of Maersk Eastern Europe, described the current situation.

However, the expert noted that the situation is not hopeless, with proper planning of shipments for the long term, it can be controlled next year.

At the same time, there is practically no time left for consignors to plan their shipments. "Now, in September, we are planning for 2022 — all container traffic that we will contract. Then it will really be impossible to get any container, because we will have everything planned out," Alexander Bobrakov underlined.

In general, he positively assessed the results of the efforts that have been made in recent years to develop fish container shipments. Participation of fishermen in this process also plays an important role here.

"Together with the Norebo Group and the Seroglazka terminal, we have been engaged in containerization of cargoes — catches of aquatic biological resources — in Kamchatka for several years. There is an experience of sending cargoes directly from the peninsula both for export and via Vladivostok to Moscow, St. Petersburg by railway and sea. That is, we combine different delivery methods, and the Northern Sea Route is one of the options. We are seeing a very large demand for this kind of transportation today," representing Maersk Alexander Bobrakov pointed out.