Los Angeles: With relationships between shippers and container lines at a new low the Westbound Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement formed a shippers and carriers panel. WTSA said the 16 member advisory board was designed to "take on tough issues on the US - Asia trade". "We see an opportunity for direct dialogue on critical issues at a senior management level, to get at the core of some longstanding differences," said WTSA chairman and Hanjin Shipping ceo YM Kim. "It will help us more fully understand the commercial realities at play on both sides, and hopefully result in significant benefits to our various industries over the long term." A raft of surcharges, hefty rate increases and equipment shortages have had shippers up in arms this year. "We've moved beyond simply venting frustrations to developing concrete actions to address the needs of both parties," another shipper representative on the advisory panel added. "In this age of increased volatility and competition both shippers and carriers need fresh approaches to solve today's tough challenges." [27/09/10]
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