Updates to Asia and the U.S. East Coast Trade Services – 2M Cooperation with ZIM

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, along with its 2M partner Maersk Line, have announced a new strategic cooperation with ZIM on the Asia – US East Coast trade (USEC).

At present, MSC and Maersk Line operate five loops and ZIM operates two loops on the trade. As of early September 2018, MSC and Maersk Line will contribute four of their operated loops to a combined operation of five loops with ZIM between Asia and USEC. ZIM will operate one loop. The parties will swap slots of all five loops of the new cooperation.

The new arrangements will improve MSC’s products across these regions and unveil new opportunities for shippers. Southeast Asian exporters will benefit from a new direct service between Laem Chabang port, Thailand, and USEC ports as far as New York. The revised network will include calls at Colombo to facilitate shipping opportunities for cargo from nearby India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Highlights of the new network include:

• Faster transit times across the network, include, but not limited to:
  • Significant transit time improvements ex. Yantian to Savannah, Charleston and Miami
  • Significant transit time improvements ex. Vung Tao to USEC
• Direct coverage of Laem Chabang on our new dedicated South-East Asia service
• Further schedule reliability performance improvements. 2M already holds the top spot as most reliable alliance and ZIM as the most reliable carrier between Asia and USEC (SeaIntel Global Liner Performance June 2018 Report)

AMERICA

A service dedicated to the South China and Vietnam markets into U.S. East Coast. Deployed vessel size will be 9,500 TEU.

First sailing to be determined. Service rotation will be as follows:

• Eastbound: Shekou – Hong Kong – Yantian – Vung Tao – Singapore – Newark – Charleston – Savannah – Miami –Freeport
• Westbound: Newark – Charleston – Savannah – Miami – Freeport – Singapore – Shekou – Hong Kong – Yantian – Vung Tao

EMPIRE

Existing calls in Shekou and Hong Kong will be moved to the America service. A call in Xiamen will be together with an additional Newark export call. Deployed vessel size will be 11,500 TEU.

First sailing to be determined. Service rotation will be as follows:

• Eastbound: Yantian – Xiamen – Ningbo – Shanghai – Busan – Newark – Baltimore – Norfolk
• Westbound: Baltimore – Norfolk – Newark – Salalah – Colombo – Singapore – Yantian – Xiamen – Ningbo – Shanghai – Busan

AMBERJACK

The service will be similar to the current Amberjack service however a call to Busan will be added as well as a swap between Jacksonville and Wilmington. Deployed vessel size will be 8,500 TEU.

First sailing to be determined. Service rotation will be as follows:

• Eastbound: Xingang – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Busan – Kingston – Savannah – Charleston – Jacksonville – Wilmington
• Westbound: Savannah – Charleston – Jacksonville – Wilmington – Kingston – Busan – Xingang – Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo

EMERALD

Existing calls in Hong Kong and Freeport will be moved to the America service. Calls in Xiamen, Kaoshiung and Singapore will be added. Deployed vessel size will be 9,500 TEU.

First sailing to be determined. Service rotation will be as follows:

• Eastbound: Xiamen – Kaoshiung – Yantian – Shanghai – Busan – Christobal – Savannah – Norfolk – Charleston – Miami.
• Westbound: Savannah – Norfolk – Charleston – Miami – Singapore – Xiamen – Kaoshiung – Yantian – Shanghai – Busan

ELEPHANT – NEW SERVICE

The service will be our new dedicated South-East Asia service offering a new direct service between Laem Chabang port, Thailand, and USEC ports as far as New York. The revised network will include calls at Colombo to facilitate shipping opportunities for cargo from nearby India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Deployed vessel size will be 6,500 TEU.

First sailing to be determined. Service rotation will be as follows:

• Eastbound: Laem Chabang – Singapore – Colombo – Salalah – Newark – Norfolk – Savannah – Freeport
• Westbound: Newark – Norfolk – Savannah – Freeport – Singapore – Laem Chabang

For any questions, please feel free to contact your local customer service or sales representatives. You will find contact details of our local office on msc.com.