Satisfaction survey in container transport: availability of cargo space now number one customer requirement

Container shipping lines’ ability to provide cargo space as needed showed a marginal improvement in 2019, but this gain will have been dramatically reversed by the end of the first half of this year, according to the fourth annual shipper satisfaction survey of Drewry and the European Shippers’ Council (ESC).

The survey, run jointly by the ESC and Drewry, reveals that the 227 shippers and forwarders who took part rated the service of container shipping lines with an average score of 3.2 on a scale of 1 (very dissatisfied) to 5 (very satisfied). 

The level of satisfaction for 16 different carrier service and cost criteria reviewed in the survey has been found to be diverse among respondents. Satisfaction with clarity of prices and surcharges, transit times and quality of customer service in 2019 ranked lowest – with scores of 2.8 to 3 (see chart below).

Satisfaction with availability of cargo space provided in 2019 ranked higher, at 3.3, and improved from 3.2 in 2018. 

Availability of cargo space is now seen by shippers and forwarders as the most important criterion of carrier service, meaning that an improvement in cargo space availability in 2019 was a welcome development for the industry.