As container lines make more of an effort to maintain stability and certainty, particularly at transhipment hubs, multi-user terminals could be soon coming to an end in the Caribbean, according to JOC.com.
Juan Carlos Croston, Vice President of Marketing at Manzanillo International Terminal in Panama, said: The alliances are now driving most of the decision-making process. This decision-making process is not necessarily based on which terminal is providing the best service, but on which of the partners (in the alliance) have equity in which of the terminals.”
PTI previously reported on the global alliance that had been signed by CMA CGM, which will form the ‘Ocean Alliance’, and is set to begin operations in April, 2017.
However, recent news found that the US Federal Maritime Commission had questioned the legitimacy of the alliance, after asking the alliance members to submit more information on the proposed vessel-sharing agreement.
The issue of terminal ownership has already been voiced, with Olaf Merk of the ITF at the OECD previously stating that the alliance shakeup will have an effect on terminals.
The example given was that new alliances could mean that the new carrier will want to buy up shares in an existing terminal agreement to boost its portfolio.
