Congestion forced shippers into air freight at height of the market, Drewry says

The U.S. West Coast port congestion drove shippers to air freight at the worst possible time with rates for air cargo at the seasonal highpoint of what is turning out to be the most robust peak season in years.

After four months of stable pricing, air freight rates surged in Oct. on the back of strong demand and the conversion from ocean shipping, according to Drewry’s container insight. This has temporarily reversed the long-term modal shift from air to ocean as shippers took to the skies to make sure their goods hit the stores in time for the U.S. holiday season.

Read details from Journal of Commerce | By: Greg Knowler  |  December 1, 2014