Liner schedule reliability fell to its worst level in 12 months in February when the average on-time performance slipped by 7 percentage points to 62.7 percent, according to Carrier Performance Insight, the online schedule reliability tool provided by Drewry Supply Chain Advisors.

The World Container Index's composite index, an average of spot freight rates on 11 global East-West routes connecting Asia, Europe and the U.S., reached a record low of $701 per 40-foot container recently.

Drewry, the global shipping consultancy, has carried out a simulation study of the operational and financial impacts on lines, terminal operators, ports and other supply chain stakeholders as vessel size increases up to and beyond 18,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units, the standard metric used to measure a ship's cargo carrying capacity). The study results suggest that the economies of scale, that have been a key feature of the liner industry, may be running out.

Tanker shipping freight rates are expected to remain firm in the first few months of 2016, but with the influx of tonnage these rates are expected to soften towards the end of the year, according to the latest edition of the Tanker Forecaster, published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Shipping analysts Alphaliner reported that the two carriers involved in recent container line megamergers – France's CMA CGM (merged with NOL / APL) and China COSCO (merged with CSCL) – are now looking at forming a shipping alliance to compete with Maersk and MSC's 2M.

The latest Dry Bulk Freight Forecaster from Maritime Strategies International reports a deterioration of the consultancy's cautiously optimistic view for improvement in the dry bulk market in the next six months.

Container service reliability started 2016 on a disappointing note as the average on-time performance slipped by 5.7 percentage points in January to 69.6 percent, according to Carrier Performance Insight, the online schedule reliability tool provided by Drewry Supply Chain Advisors.