Mar,21 -- CONTAINER carrier schedule reliability improved in February, according to the latest report from SeaIntel Maritime Analysis.
    Reliability increased from 58 per cent in January to 60 per cent in February, the first increase in four months, American Shipper reported. SeaIntel considers a call on time if it happens on the same calendar day or the day before as scheduled. The analyst also noted an increase in the reliability among the top performing carriers.
    For the top 20 container carriers, Maersk Line maintained top spot as the most reliable carrier at 75 per cent, followed by Hamburg Sud at 72 per cent, and APL at 67 per cent.
    Compared to January, Maersk improved three per cent and APL seven per cent, while Hamburg Sud maintained its performance. In the past eight months, Maersk has been the top performer five times and Hamburg Sud the other three times.
    Out of 8,400 measured arrivals in February 2012, SeaIntel's monthly report now includes 1,900 arrivals in trades to and from Africa, Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent. Most of these trades exhibit reliability in line with the global average. However the African import routes exhibit a markedly lower performance, at 29 per cent, from Asia as well as North Europe to Africa.
    The measurements are based on SeaIntel's database of more than 58,000 arrivals from 2,200 vessels, 29 trade lanes and 51 carriers since July 2011.

(Source:Shippingazette)