The prices of the Sea freight They register a significant reduction. According to the president of the Association of Shipowners of the Dominican Republic, Teddy Heinsenprices have dropped significantly on 40 foot containers coming from Chinawhile they remain stable in international trade with Europe and the United States.
about a year ago a 40-foot container used to pay US$17,000 and today it is between US$3,000 and US$4,000, in the case of China.
In the case of the United States, freight prices They are maintained for a rather volume issuesince trade with the United States, which is the main trading partner of the Dominican Republic, is increasing, according to Heinsen’s explanations, but those did not increase in a way that is worrying.He stressed that as there is more supply than demand, the price rises, but they are stable.
as long as with Europe, prices are also stabledespite the fact that in the European territory there are difficulties such as suspensions of maritime lines in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea and that affects their costs, although that congestion that is being registered in Northern Europe does not affect those who come to the DR.
Heinsen said that Freight rates from Europe never went up like those from China and that the suspension of ships is due to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Freight rates from China to the rest of the world have dropped from 2019 levels. This means that from about US$17,000 a year ago they are between US$3,000 and US$4,000 per 40-foot container,” said the president of the Association of Shipowners.
He explained that European freight costs apply to all ships going to Rotterdam at the same priceand these are reflected in maritime freight and that is why they have not gone down.
“So far, what is the far east is perfectly fine. There is space. Freight rates are quite acceptable. The United States is clear of congestion and ships are coming in quickly,” she said.
As for the Caribbean, Heinsen indicated that they did not raise prices to Central America and the Dominican Republic either. An important fact is that there are ships coming from China to the country and shipping lines are using them. That’s because, as Heinsen explained, China is letting go of the need for transportation a bit, and those ships are coming into the Gulf.
He said therefore the next quarter of 2023 “we could see substantial freight price reductions in that area.”
Barge to the Caribbean
Regarding the barge that would go weekly to the Caribbean, specifically to Curaçao, the president of the Association of Shipowners of the Dominican Republic, Teddy Heinsen, specified that “this has not progressed.”
However, he said that there are several projects regarding barges that would go to the Caribbean,to Haiti and Trinidad. He estimates that since there is not so much trade with the islands, it may be the reason that the project has not advanced, since bilateral trade is not significant and only occurs from the DR to there. For it to be a business it has to be two-way.
He stressed that everything depends on the volume that can come in transit to the Dominican Republic to continue to those islandsbecause the Dominican volume is not enough to pay for that transport.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the then Foreign Minister Vargas Maldonado revealed at the Listín Diario en la Globalización meeting that he signed an agreement that will facilitate the flow of trade with the increase in exports of goods from the country by sea to Curaçao.
Said By means of the San Andrés Ship, 40 weekly vans would leave from the port of Haina Terminals to the port of Willemstadwith the capacity to carry dry and also refrigerated products to Curaçao.
This will facilitate the flow of exports because it will allow important connectivity with the departure of the 40-foot vessel.
overall report
The overall prices down 7% in the week of 10 to 17 of last November to $2,591.41 per 40 foot container. According to data from the Drewry World Container Index, which is the global port index, between November 2021 and November 2022 they have dropped from US$14,000, US$12,000 and US$10,000 to US$2,591.41.
they keep going down
This December 15, 2022, The Drewry World Container Index declined 1% to US$2,127.33 per 40-foot container and is 77% lower than the same week in 2021. Freight rates in New York – Rotterdam fell 4% or $53 to $1,269.