transport logistic China 2006: Maritime trade with China in the spotlight at transport logistic China 2006

Economic growth in China has continued at a rapid rate despite the expectation of a soft landing of its economy. Its foreign trade has become the principal pacemaker for the international maritime trade: Its burgeoning imports of iron ore, crude oil and other commodities pushed freight rates in dry and wet bulk shipping to unprecedented levels in the last few years, while its exports of manufactured goods has sustained growth of containerised trade. transport logistic China 2006, the leading logistics fair to be held in Shanghai for the second time this year from 19 to 22 September, will provide an excellent opportunity to meet key players from the Chinese ocean freight sector. More than 10,000 logistic professionals from 54 countries attended the trade fair in 2004 which also featured an extensive program of conferences and related events.

According to the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement (TSA) – an association of 11 major container shipping lines in the transpacific trade – the average growth of shipments from China to the US for the first two months of 2006 was 24%. “We don’t believe the shift in manufacturing to China, South-East Asia and elsewhere in the region has run its course,” TSA executive director Albert Pierce declared. Most economists agree that China’s export industry has not developed its full potential. The labor costs there averaged only about Euro 0,61 per hour in 2004/05 – only a fortieth of the comparative value in Germany, according to the German logistics and purchasing association BME. With substantial savings beckoning, many small and medium-sized
business are now realigning their purchasing strategies. They want to profit from cheaper sourcing in China, as demonstrated by large multi-national industrial and retail companies.

More than 90% of intercontinental trade moves by sea, ocean shipping and its related services (freight forwarding, cargo handling, etc.). Most of the merchandise is carried in sea containers. While the Chinese shipping group COSCO expects container throughput at the Chinese seaports to grow by 12% annually to 133M teu (twenty foot equivalent unit/standard container) in the next five years, European and US ports have to gird themselves for similar growth rates. After all, most of the containers loaded onto a ship in China are destined for either region. Cargo throughput at the port of Hamburg, for example, was boosted by 15,5% to 8,1M teu in 2005, chiefly by trade with China which today ranks as Hamburg’s most important trading partner by a wide margin. Meanwhile in Rotterdam cargo handling volumes were elevated by 12% to 9,3M teu, while Bremerhaven saw a growth of 7% to 3,7M teu in 2005. Work is well underway in Bremerhaven for a new container terminal (CT IV) with a quayside of 1,7 kilometres which will provide four more berths for very large container ships typically deployed on the Far East/Europe route. Rotterdam has even initiated a much larger expansion program. Construction of the new Euromax Terminal at the current Maasvlakte – scheduled to be operational in early 2007 – is proceeding fast. The port has also drawn up plans for the “Second Maasvlakte” – an expansion covering some 2,000 hectares to be constructed from 2008 onwards.

An array of companies from the shipping, ports and logistics industries in China and worldwide will participate at transport logistic China 2006 organized by Messe München. They will be able to get in contact with representatives of the Chinese market to explore new business opportunities and get an overview of new exciting logistics developments in the world’s fastest growing economy.

About transport logistic China

transport logistic China, the meeting point for logistics, telematics and transportation, is being held at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in China for the second time from September 19 – 22, 2006. A total of 214 exhibitors from 27 countries presented their products and services at transport logistic China 2004 and Air Cargo China 2004. 10,044 visitors from 54 countries attended the international trade fair, which also featured an extensive program of related events and conferences. As a result, the concept of transport logistic in Munich, the leading European trade fair for logistics, telematics and transport, which covers the entire range of solutions for all sectors, has successfully established itself on the Asian market.

About Messe München International (MMI) Messe München International (MMI, Munich Trade Fairs International Group) is one of the world’s leading trade-fair companies. It organises around 40 trade fairs for capital and consumer goods, and key high-tech industries. Each year over 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part in the events in Munich. In addition, MMI organises trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With four subsidiaries abroad and 62 foreign representatives, looking after 86 countries, MMI has a truly global network.

Henrike Burmeister, Manager Communications
Marketing & Communications, Capital Goods
Tel. (+49 89) 949-20 245, Fax (+49 89) 949-20249
Henrike.Burmeister@messe-muenchen.de


This release was published on openPR.