GEODIS announced it chartered additional tonnage to guarantee capacity amid an "ultra-tight" sea freight market from China to Europe.

In a statement, it said the first 1,000TEU-capacity vessel, operated exclusively by GEODIS, is scheduled to arrive in Hamburg on 28 February. The ship is carrying a total of 435 forty-foot containers for customers who have found it increasingly difficult to secure space with regular carriers at a viable rate.

The next vessel sailing is scheduled to leave Shanghai around 10 February. Depending on demand, GEODIS said it will plan additional sailings over the coming weeks.

“We understand the current market challenges resulting from unprecedented customer demand and the limitations of ocean carrier capacity and sailings from China and other parts of Asia,” said Matthias Hansen, senior vice president Global Ocean Freight for GEODIS. “We are working hard to find solutions for our customers. Hence, this exclusive vessel charter to supplement fixed long-term agreements we have with core carriers. We strive to deliver certainty to our customers amid the unstable market.”

Onno Boots, GEODIS’ regional president and CEO for Asia Pacific noted that recent “market forces have created variable and unforeseen spikes in demand for Asian goods.”

“Our primary aim is to offer multi-modal solutions to our existing customers to enable them to ship on time and in a reasonably economic manner. As an adaptable and innovative service provider, GEODIS is permanently looking for alternatives including rail, ocean and air products that fulfil this aim for shippers on the increasingly volatile Far East West Bound (FEWB) trade lane,” Boots said.

Ivan Siew, managing director, China, noted that “ocean freight services out of China have been in high demand, in the ride up to Chinese New Year and beyond.”

“We are focused on ensuring that our customers continue to depend on GEODIS to deliver innovative solutions in accordance with evolving market demands. As the biggest supplier of goods to the world, using all freight modes, China is particularly affected by the changes in availability of capacity and shipping containers. These ocean charters provide much relief to the companies we serve and we are proud to be stepping up our response as the situation changes,” she added.