Maersk Line’s Senior Director for Charge Management, Network and Product, John Nielsen, said that, on average, around 20% of containers failed to turn up for the vessel they are booked on globally.
However, he added that “downfalls”, as they are known in the industry, have been as bad as 40% on some sailings.
In order to reverse the situation, Maersk Line plans to charge customers US$100 per dry container and $500 per reefer container that fails to turn up for the vessel its is booked on.
But, added Nielsen, it is prepared to pay compensation of the same amounts if Maersk cannot pick up shipment because of overbooking, operational constraints or equipment shortages.