AGAPE LOGISTICS

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China and Asean free trade deal begins
A new free trade area comes into effect on 1st January 2010 incorporating China and the six founding members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean). These countries include Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. They plan to eliminate tariffs on 90% of imported goods. This will reduce the cost of trade and is likely to lead to an expansion of cross border commerce between the countries concerned. In terms of population it will be the largest trade area in the world, with nearly 1.9bn people and it includes some of the leading export driven economies. Chinese manufacturers will gain and so will South East Asian exporters of raw materials. Those countries are also likely to gain access to cheaper materials and components from China. But there have been warnings from South East Asia that some industries are not ready to compete with China and that jobs will be lost. Other members of Asean , including Vietnam and Cambodia are due to follow suite in five years. Regional and bilateral trade agreements have proliferated in recent years. The World Trade Organization says about 400 are due to be in operation by 2010. Supporters say they are a step on the way towards comprehensive global trade liberalisation.

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More ports added to Asia-US trade routes
DEVELOPMENTS in the container shipping industry in January will include the expansion of two liner services engaged in the Asia-US trade. Staying with Asia, a joint service offered by members of Germany's Schoeller Group will also be solely marketed. The India-US 'Indamex' service operated by Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM, APL, OOCL and NYK will expand its current port rotation by adding a call at the Port of Pipavav in January. This comes after the port rotation was recently extended by one week to eight weeks. The service uses seven ships, said an Alphaliner weekly newsletter. In other news, MSC is expanding the port rotation of its 'Golden Gate' Service (GGS) that links Asia to the US east coast via the Suez Canal by adding a port of call in Charleston. The service will continue calling at the three US ports of: New York, Baltimore and Norfolk. The first ship to be deployed on the revised rotation will be the MSC Turchia, which is scheduled to depart from Shanghai on January 15, 2010. The GGS uses 12 ships ranging in size from 5,000-6,700 TEU. Meanwhile, the joint service offered by Austral Asia Line (AAL) and New Pacific Line (NPL) that plies the trades between South East Asia, Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the greater Pacific Islands will only be marketed under the New Pacific Line brand, starting from January 1. Germany's Schoeller Group controls both lines. The newsletter said the Austral Asia Line brand will continue to be used for services connecting East Asia to Australia. The port rotation for the NPL service is: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Madang (every alternate sailing), Lae, Rabaul (every alternate sailing), Port Moresby, Honiara (every alternate sailing), Noumea, Lautoka, Suva, Lae and back to Hong Kong. It will continue to use three 1,732-TEU vessels. "New Pacific Line will manage the service from its head office in Singapore. CMA CGM and its subsidiary ANL are expected to continue to co-load on the service, within the existing exchange agreement involving ANL's Port Kelang-Singapore-Papua New Guinea service (APR)," the newsletter added.

Shanghai trade value rises 4.3 per cent in November
SHANGHAI recorded an increase of 4.3 per cent in trade value to US$47.4 billion in November, the first growth since November 2008, Logistics Week reported. Export value dropped 5.7 per cent to $29.7 billion, the first decrease in 2009 narrowed to single digit. A substantial growth of 26.7 per cent was seen in import value to $17.7 billion. Exports to the European Union and Japan continued to fall, but exports to the US showed their first increase this year of 1.6 per cent to $8.3 billion. From January to November, Shanghai trade value totalled to $460.9 billion, down 18.2 per cent year on year. Export value slid 20 per cent to $291.8 billion. Import value decreased 14.7 per cent to $169.1 billion. The trade surplus dropped 26.3 per cent to $122.7 billion.

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