SINGAPORE's Neptune orient Lines' (NOL) container unit APL handled 231,100 FEU in the four-week period ending May 6, marking a nine per cent increase more than the 212,000 FEU handled in same period last year.

    But the average revenue per box dropped four per cent to US$2,549 per FEU, seeing the lowest point of freight rates since the first month of 2010.

    NOL said the robust volume growth was due to promising intra-Asia and Asia-Europe strings, but the decline in average revenue per FEU revealed the weakening rates in the Asia-Europe trade lane.

    To date, the aggregate container volume is up nine per cent to 995,100 FEU and average revenue per FEU is $2,587, one per cent higher than the same period of 2010.

(Source:http://www.schednet.com)