SHIPPING LINES reposition 1.85 million containers due to export surge

Shipping lines repositioned a record 1.85 million containers in the country in 2021 as demand for exports surged and exporters continued to be hurt by an acute shortage of containers, according to lobbying body the Container Shipping Lines Association (CSLA). Repositioning of containers means getting an empty container from a port of surplus to one where they are scarce. Shipping lines had to resort to this strategy as container shortages soared as several container ships got stuck in ports amid the pandemic. “Many new services were introduced between India and various trades such as the US, Europe, the Far East, West Africa, and Latin America by carriers.”