Notes and comments. (shipping industry news)

The P&O Nedlloyd alliance factor

P&O Nedlloyd's policy so far is that deciding which alliance it will work with - the Grand Alliance or the Global Alliance - "is not a precipitous issue."

But it is becoming clear that the uncertainty of the position of P&O Nedlloyd is holding back the work of oilier lines in these two alliances.

Gunther Casjens, executive board member of Hapag-Lloyd in charge of liner shipping, said the Grand Alliance (formerly Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, Neptune Orient Lines and P&O Containers) could "survive" without P&O.

Casjens noted that the remaining three partners have, among them, 14 new ships on order - enough for one weekly transpacific loop plus one weekly Asia.Europe loop. Having said that, Casjens commented that "on balance, we would very much welcome this new company in the alliance." …