Expensive transport: a container ship reaches the port of Hamburg.
Image: dpa
Container freight has become many times more expensive within two years. The word “rip-off” is often heard. Since capacities are scarce, the shipping companies can demand high sums from importers.
WIf he wants to know how inflation occurs, Stefan Berkes can do the math very easily. He calculated shipping costs of $8.50 when he ordered velvet-covered dining room chairs in China at a purchase price of $74 each. That was two years ago. At today’s prices, Berkes would have to pay $75 in freight, which is more than the purchase price of the chair. The reason: for the container, in which 200 chairs fit, the shipping company no longer charges 1700 but 15,000 dollars freight rate, almost nine times as much.
The example of the Hamburg importer may sound crass, but it is not an isolated case. Everyone who imports goods is currently living with transport costs that are many times what they were used to before the pandemic. It’s about billions in additional costs for the company, Berkes is sure. The supply chain chaos that has developed since the first major corona lockdowns two years ago has created capacity bottlenecks in container shipping – and this has paved the way for price increases.
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