Swim or Sink Outlook Prompts Asia Shipping to Face Mergers

Faced with a prolonged trade slowdown and depressed freight rates, the region’s container lines are set for further consolidation after a year that’s seen the collapse of South Korea’s Hanjin Shipping Co., a mega merger among Japanese rivals and the sale of Singapore’s shipping flagship. With capacity in excess, firms will continue joining forces to cut costs and improve efficiency, according to the heads of A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S and Hyundai Merchant Marine Co.