Thursday, September 28, 2023
HomeContainersONE CEO Says US-China Tensions Add to Global Trade Shifts

Subscribe

To our FREE newsletter
Get all the latest maritime news delivered straight to your inbox.

ONE CEO Says US-China Tensions Add to Global Trade Shifts

Political tensions between the US and China are contributing to lower container shipments between the world’s two largest economies, on top of an already-underway reshaping of global trade, according to a major shipping industry boss.

“We are seeing a de-leveraging of trade between the US and China,” Jeremy Nixon, chief executive officer of Ocean Network Express, said at the Capital Link Singapore Maritime Forum. “Many companies in the US are looking to reduce down the amount of imports they have got coming from China.”

The share of boxes hauling everything from cell phones to tables arriving in the US from China has fallen by about 10 percentage points over the past year, said Nixon, whose company is among the top 10 container shippers. As a result, the US is establishing stronger ties with other trade partners including Europe, a trend Nixon says will continue.

The world’s two largest economies have been steadily becoming less reliant on one another for much of the past year. That’s been driven primarily by a broad-based slowdown in the global economy, and it’s been particularly acute for containers as the demand boom that took place during the pandemic reversed.

The decoupling is now being exacerbated by geopolitics, Nixon says. Tensions have flared over issues from Taiwan to the alleged spy balloon that was shot down over the US. President Joe Biden is seeking to sign an executive order that will limit investment in key parts of China’s economy by American businesses. 

The slowdown in the China-US route means America will import more from elsewhere. While container freight rates across the board have slumped this year, the decline has been less precipitous in Europe as the US imports more from the continent, Nixon said. Shipping flows from the Mediterranean, India and even Southeast Asia into the US have also been bolstered.

[Bloomberg]

Related Posts

Video

Finance & Economy
Shipping News
Ports

Star Bulk Announces the Repurchase of 10 Million of Its Common Shares

Star Bulk announced that it entered into a Repurchase Agreement (with OCM XL Holdings, LP, a limited partnership incorporated in the Cayman Islands, pursuant...

Trafigura announces executive leadership changes

Trafigura Group Pte Ltd. has announced an evolution of its executive team to further strengthen leadership and focus across its global activities during a...

Woori, HMM, KOBC to buy Polaris in prospective $448 mln deal – report

Polaris Shipping Co. is poised to sell its entire stake at around 600 billion won ($447.5 million) to Woori Private Equity Asset Management Co....

Pyxis Tankers Announces Closing of Ultramax JV Investment

Pyxis Tankers, an international shipping company, reported that on September 14, 2023, the Company closed on its previously announced newly formed drybulk joint venture...

Korea’s STX denies rumor that it is backed by Chinese fund

South Korean general trading company STX Corp. has said its largest shareholder is a local investment firm, while refuting the false reports appearing through...

Baltic index scales 11-month peak on strong capesize rates

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry...

Baltic index scales over 9-month high on capesize surge

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry...

Baltic index rises to over 4-month high on stronger capesize rates

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, which tracks rates for ships carrying dry...

Houston-Japan VLGC freight rates reach multi-year high

VLGC freight rates from Houston to Chiba, Japan, reached $245/mt Sept. 21 for the...

Baltic index snaps 11-session rally as rates for larger vessels ease

The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, tracking rates for ships carrying dry bulk...

Drewry: Port Throughput Index Down 2.1% in July

The Global Container Port Throughput Index fell 2.1% MoM in July 2023, with the small rises recorded in Africa and Oceania having been insufficient...

Vopak: Agreement with Infracapital on sale of Rotterdam chemical terminals

Vopak announces that it has reached an agreement with Infracapital on the sale of its three chemical terminals in Rotterdam (Botlek, TTR and Chemiehaven)...

Port Hedland Iron Ore Exports Edge Up 4% in August

Pilbara Ports Authority has delivered a total monthly throughput of 62.8 million tonnes (Mt) for August 2023, consistent with the August 2022 throughput. The Port...

Thessaloniki, Gdańsk ports to explore synergies

Thessaloniki Port Authority S.A is expanding its role as a port of international importance through a new cooperation with the Port of Gdańsk Authority...

Hapag-Lloyd CEO: Counteroffer for HHLA would not be in our interest

Hapag-Lloyd CEO Rolf Habben Jansen said on Thursday that it would not be in the container shipper’s interest to make an offer for HHLA...