The below is what keeps me up at night:
• Space — Will there be enough space to accommodate the needs of the shipping community or will we continue to see void sailing. Who is getting the space, and when? Preferred BCOs? NVOs? Global freight forwarders?
• Rates — Will rates stabilize, or are we going to have another year of violent fluctuations? Who and what causes rate instability? Who and what causes rate stabilization?
• Relationships — Can the relationship between the BCO and steamship line be salvaged? Or does BCO loyalty really matter?
• Contracts — Will they be honored? Will the steamship lines continue to not support the contracts they’ve signed so rates float per market levels? How can a carrier get an importer to trust service and contracts again? How can a BCO respect a carrier if agreements are ignored?