GEVEVA's Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the world's second-largest container carrier, has joined others by introducing a US$1,500 rate increase per reefer containers on all services from January 1.

    Current reefer rates are "inadequate to offset the very high and increasing operating costs", said the company. CMA CGM and Maersk Line will welcome the news, said London's Containerisation International, noting that Maersk CEO Soren Skou has been pressing for shipper acceptance of rate hikes at the recent Cool Logistics conference in Antwerp.