Container logistics' prospects for 2022
A recently published report throws light on the strategies the logistics industry is likely to develop next year. The company Container X Change's "industry speak survey 2021-22" combines key learnings from 2021 and outlook for 2022 from 800 container logistics players globally including shipping lines, container traders, freight forwarding companies, NVOCCs, shippers and procurement companies.
Out of all the respondents, 65% said that supply chain performance will either deteriorate further (11%) or remain on the same level (54%) in 2022.
The top challenge that the respondents experienced in their business was finding slots on vessels (53%), followed by surcharges imposed by the carriers (22%) and labour shortage (19%). The remaining respondents (6%) highlighted the challenge of insufficient transparency and visibility in the supply chain.
When asked which alternatives they preferred compared to getting equipment from carriers, 50% of respondents said they resorted to one-way leasing, 28% chose long term leasing contracts and 22% opted for buying containers. Overall, 71% of respondents said they were rethinking their logistics strategy, looking for more diverse sourcing and holding more equipment in stock. (sh)