WorldACD: Cargo rates and demand on slight upward trend but MESA shows drop

Global air cargo rates and demand edged slightly further upwards in the second full week of March, with Middle East & South Asia (MESA) the only major origin region registering a drop in tonnages, according to the latest weekly figures from WorldACD Market Data. Worldwide tonnages in week 11 (10 to 16 March) gained a further +1%, compared with the previous week, taking them +3% higher, year on year (YoY). The small global week-on-week (WoW) gain was driven by increases from Central & South America (+4%) and Asia Pacific (+3%), as Asia Pacific markets continue to bounce back from Lunar New Year (LNY). But there was a -4% WoW drop in flown tonnages from MESA origins, partly linked to business closures during the Hindu spring festival Holi in India (13-14 March). Averaged across the last two weeks, flown tonnages from MESA origins in weeks 10 and 11 were comparable with their levels in weeks with 8 and 9, combined, with a drop to Europe (-3%), but an increase to Asia Pacific (+9%). Using that two-week on two-week (2Wo2W) comparison method, tonnages from Asia Pacific have rebounded strongly in weeks 10 and 11 from their post-LNY lull to Europe (+13%) and to North America (+10%), based on the more than 500,000 weekly transactions covered by WorldACD’s data. On a WoW basis, tonnages from Asia Pacific to Europe gained a further +7% in week 11, their fifth successive WoW gain, taking volumes to their highest level this year and only around -10% below their levels in mid-December. There were significant WoW increases to Europe from most of the big Asia Pacific markets, including China (+7%), Hong Kong (+5%), Japan (+5%), South Korea (+18%), Taiwan (+13%) and Vietnam (+9%). Tonnages from Asia Pacific to the USA in week 11 also recorded their fifth successive WoW gain (+5%), including increases from China (+6%), Hong Kong (+6%), Japan (+3%), South Korea (+13%), Taiwan (+2%) and Vietnam (+3%). The big WoW increases from South Korea to, respectively, Europe and the USA in week 11 reflect a recovery in tonnages following a steep drop the previous week to Europe (-11%) and to the USA (-13%), WoW. On the pricing side, average spot rates from Asia Pacific to Europe of US$3.92 per kilo were similar to the previous week, with no major WoW swings from any of the main Asia Pacific origin markets. China to Europe rates dropped a further -2% to $3.87 per kilo, their fifth WoW decline.  However, compared with last year, spot rates from Asia Pacific to Europe were +16% higher in week 11, including YoY increases from China (+8%), Hong Kong (+16%) and Japan (+18%). From Asia Pacific to the USA, average spot rates of $4.91 per kilo in week 11 were almost flat, WoW (-1%), and well above their equivalent level last year (+11%). However, there are some major WoW differences on an origin-country level, with spot rates from China and South Korea  to the USA up strongly (+15%), WoW, whereas from Japan (-8%) and Vietnam (-11%) spot rates were significantly down. Average worldwide rates of $2.37 per kilo, based on a mix of spot prices and contract rates, rose +3%, WoW, in week 11, taking them +2% above their equivalent level this time last year. For Editorial Inquiries Contact: Editor Matt Driskill at [email protected] For Advertising Inquiries Contact: Head of Sales Kay Rolland at [email protected]