Update on Booking Handling Situation in Region North Europe

Despite the ongoing pandemic, global markets are recovering even faster than expected and we are currently experiencing a skyrocketing demand in container bookings. As much as we appreciate this positive development, it also means unforeseeable operational challenges for us.

Unfortunately, fully booked vessels and the tight equipment situation have a negative effect on our booking response times. Currently, we often cannot provide you with a booking confirmation as quickly as we wish to, neither can we always act on booking amendments speedily. Regrettably, we are unable to always offer you alternative sailings as you are used to under normal circumstances. It might come to booking rejections in case of exceeded vessel capacity or missing equipment availability.

During these unusual times, we kindly ask you to refrain from sending reminder e-mails as those will only add to the backlog. Please rest assured that our booking staff is doing their best to serve you as quickly as possible.

To process your booking request in a timely manner, good data quality of your electronic bookings is essential, we therefore would like to take the opportunity to remind you of below mentioned data elements that need to be submitted at time of booking. Please be aware any booking received without the required information will be rejected:

• Valid Quotation / Contract reference: If your contract contains more than one routing party, we kindly ask you to submit the respective Marketing Routing Party (“MR”) as well
• Carrier’s haulage: Positioning date(s) and mode of transport - not accepted as free text; Loading references in case of need
• Merchant’s haulage: Pick-up date(s) and, if applicable, indicate shipper’s owned equipment and provide the relevant container number(s)
• POL/POD with intended departure/arrival dates
• Quantity and Container Size Type – number and kind of equipment
• Cargo weight, description & HS code (mandatory for US shipments) per container
• Requirements for special cargo:
  o Reefer: temperature settings
  o Out-Of-Gauge: overdimensions (L/W/H)
  o DG Details: Complete data of the DGD in compliance with the IMDG Code

Those customers who have not subscribed to our CustomerNEWS yet, we recommend to do so to stay up to date.

Furthermore, please also bear in mind any local information regarding temporary booking adjustments and/or suspensions.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and support. We will keep you informed on further developments in due course.