Emerging Trends For Ocean Service Contract Bid Season

Beneficial cargo owners have faced well-reported challenges in recent bid seasons. Two plus years of global pandemic unleashed supply and capacity interruption, carrier lane divergence, and an explosion in rates as well as inland dwell fee and demurrage costs. The bookend for those early headwinds is now a kinetic war in Europe with yet-unforeseen boundaries and consequence. Change remains in the air as shippers and their carriers alike grapple with this new reality. Fortunately, identifiable trends are emerging that can help professionals on both sides of the table manage planning and execution this year and beyond.

The Historic Approach to Ocean Carriage Bid Seasons

The exercise and approach of each bid season was always a carefully planned, high-dollar, intense, and heavily negotiated affair. Ocean transportation procurement teams historically spent great efforts in the winter and early spring to understand and anticipate the challenges facing lanes, volumes, and