Why signs of recovery are out of sight now for NOL

Spot rates plunge faster than expected.

According to DBS Vickers, the Asia-Europe/ Mediterranean spot rates have nosedived at a speed they hadn’t anticipated at the start of 2013, and are currently at their lowest since early-2012.

So far, three rounds of rate increases have proved unsuccessful in 2013, as the supply glut meant capacity discipline didn’t hold much sway.

Here's more from DBS Vickers:

This has had a cascading effect on Asia-US route as well, as more liners have deployed extra ships here in recent months, and annual rate negotiations are unlikely to have positive ramifications.

With muted demand growth projections, orderbook deferrals into FY14, and some new orders still flowing from the likes of CSCL, the demand-supply outlook for FY14 doesn’t look as bright now, and we don’t think NOL will be able to achieve normalised returns before FY15.

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia