US exporters recounted shocking tales of the extremely poor service levels they received at the peak of the Asia-US demand boom from carriers that, hitherto, they had regarded as supply chain partners.
“We’ve been through some rough quarters,” said VP for logistics at New Jersey-based Fornazor International Carl Varner. “We learned where we fit in. We learnt our place.
“Our cargo was no more than a convenient backhaul for the carriers,” he said, adding that his rates had spiked by 600%. “We opened a newspaper and read about the huge profits of the carriers while they were charging us demurrage and detention charges at every opportunity.”
Now US exporters are seeing carriers approach them, cap in hand, for their business again.