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Ocean Freight Rate Charges as of March 2022

Thursday, 31st March 2022

Member companies of the British Association of Removers (BAR) normally use an association called the Movers Trading Club Ltd (MTC) to provide their ocean freight services. The MTC provides its members, which are moving companies, access to ocean freight rate agreements that are based on a 12-month validity. 

It is through the MTC that Bradshaws Moving Services are allowed to quote and book freight to destinations around the world for our customers. Refreshing from March every year, these 12-month long agreements have in the past been honoured by the shipping lines, however, since the pandemic some shipping lines have chosen to renege on these agreements and have insisted that freight rate increases were accepted during this 12-month agreement. This means moving companies and their customers may have seen increases in ocean freight rate charges for numerous reasons which you can read in full here.

For many trades these increases are significant, often in excess of 300%, however, the MTC rates will be competitive versus the open market, especially as it is likely that the spot market continues to increase through 2022.

To improve this situation and help the shipping lines budget and accommodate the MTC’s demands, the MTC has recently rolled out a forecasting tool to its members which will be key to improving the allocation obtained by the MTC for its members and their customers going forward.

Rates aside, we are increasingly seeing more and more service challenges that are making it difficult to ship globally. See the full document from the BAR explaining the situation here.