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drive to remain competitive while meet- ing operational efficiency goals. ?Apart from larger vessels that provide better economies of scale, we have also been investing in our box fleets as well as container shipping infrastructure toimprove our efficiencies across the oper- ational spectrum so that we can betterserve our customers and fulfill their needs,? he said. Asked whether OOCL was confident the mega ships would be fully utilized, Ng said that would depend on the devel- opment of the global economy and thepossible phasing out of the older and lessefficient vessels, ?which are all impor- tant factors that are very difficult to pre- dict?.?OOCL will be working with our part- ners through the Grand and G6 alliancesto maximize the utilization according towhat is sustainable on the respective trades where these vessels will be de- ployed.? While shipping lines are understand- ably cautious about expressing their overcapacity concerns and the impact of excess tonnage on rates, most industry watchers have been sounding the klax- ons for some time.Alphaliner, like Jensen, believes carri- ers are starting to undercut rates. ?Carriers will face a much harder bat- tle to maintain the momentum for furtherrate increases in the face of rising capac- ity supply,? Alphaliner said in a report. The May 1 GRIs, coming after several previous Q1 hikes that increased spot rates on Asia-Europe from $490 per TEU to $1,934 per box, were not well received by shippers.Alphaliner expects capacity increases to tilt the demand-supply balance against the carriers as demand growth is ex- pected to be flat or mildly negative in the next three months on the trade. 60Maritime Reporter & Engineering News Stephen Ng, OOCL director of corporate planning, said:?We have also been in- vesting in our box fleetsas well as container ship-ping infrastructure? ?With bunker fuel being so expensive we are entering a time when the highest utilization may not be the model that gives a liner operator the best economy.? Maersk Line?s new head of south China, David Skov. Maersk Line's new EEE-class ships will carry 18,000 TEUsMR June12 # 8 (57-64):MR Template 6/12/2012 9:08 AM Page 60