Maersk ship

Denmark-based logistics group A.P. Møller-Maersk has revealed that it expects international container shipping rates to return to levels seen before the onset of the global economic downturn by the peak season at the end of the year.

Maersk's chief executive officer, Nils Anderson, told media in Singapore that the group would continue to add to container box levels through 2010 and 2011 to address the global shortage, Reuters reported.

'It will come back to pre-crisis levels, to a level where the industry can get return on their investments,' Mr Anderson said.

He added that he did not expect a possible slowdown in China to impact the container shipping industry, but said that bulk and oil carriers could be affected.