SHIPPING lines are streamlining organisation structures to achieve the right sizing to achieve economies of scale, says a Hongkong industry executive.
Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) general manager of quality assurance Stanley Shen said the industry trend was being followed by his company and several others.
''Shipping lines also recognise that any irresponsible expansion on their part will create a loss situation for people in the business,'' Mr Shen said.
OOCL and many other lines were aware of the need to cut down on cumbersome processing and adopt systems to help them achieve the right size.
He said OOCL had no immediate plans to expand its fleet due to the tight world economic situation.
Any deployment of large ships subscribed to the assumption that there was space requirement, and OOCL would undertake such deployment only if there was such a requirement, he said.
Mr Shen said OOCL had recorded 13 to 14 per cent growth within the Asia North America Eastbound Rate Agreement (ANERA) and 25 per cent growth on the Far East-Europe trade last year.