The container-lines’ efforts to increase their revenues succeeded in May with a rise in average China-outbound rates of 6% vs. the end of April. That followed the implementation of fuel surcharges from CMA-CGM, Maersk and MSC in the face of a 12% rise in bunker fuel prices over the same period. Hapag-Lloyd’s new “Operations Cost Recovery” surcharge is an attempt to ensure wider cargo handling costs – which damaged 1Q earnings – are recovered. The next challenge for the container-lines may come from renewed antitrust scrutiny of rate setting. The European Shippers’ Council ...