30JUL2019 - NEWS - Trade and fuel dominate carrier concerns

Container lines had another year to forget in 2018. Increasing uncertainty over fuel regulations and trade barriers added to a less-than stellar year

AFTER early hopes of a solid recovery, 2018 turned out to be something of a mixed bag for container lines.
The year started well, with year-end results from 2017 showing positive figures. However, rates began to stumble in the new year and the recovery — such as it was — began to splutter.Two factors sat behind this. Fuel prices rose significantly during 2018, pushing up costs; then the sabre-rattling over trade between China and the US started to get serious.