by Priya Radünzel, SeaNewsEditor

Container shipping companies adjust their services in response to market dynamics and operational hurdles. Stay informed of upcoming changes with Kuehne+Nagel's carrier service update, published bi-weekly on Sea News and seaexplorer.

New & revised services

Asia↔ East Africa

Starting in November 2024, Evergreen will assume operational control of the EAX service, which is currently managed by RCL, KMTC, Global Feeder Shipping, Emirates Shipping, Interasia, and TS Lines. Evergreen participates presently as a slot charterer, branding the service as "AEF2."

Additionally, from late October, the carriers will adjust the port rotation by incorporating a call at Shekou and removing the call at Mombasa.

• Carrier service name: EAX / AEF2
• Port rotation: Qingdao - Shanghai - Ningbo - Nansha - Shekou - Port Klang - Dar Es Salaam - Port Klang - Qingdao
• First sailing with revised port rotation: Interasia Engage ETD Qingdao 21 October
• First sailing under Evergreen: Ever Vim, ETD Qingdao, 4 November

Asia↔North America

Starting in late November 2024, THE Alliance will update the port rotation on an Asia-to-East Coast of North America service by reintroducing Manzanillo, Mexico.

• Carrier service name: EC2 (all alliance members)
• Port rotation: Qingdao - Yantian - Ningbo - Shanghai - Busan - Manzanillo - Lazaro Cardenas - Cartagena - Savannah - Charleston - Wilmington - Norfolk - Cartagena (Colombia) - Busan - Qingdao
• First sailing: Unayzah Express, ETD Qingdao, 27 November

Asia↔Oceania

Maersk will launch a standalone service connecting Greater China to New Zealand in October. The service will offer more direct connections between Australia, New Zealand, and East and South China.

• Carrier service name: Northern Star
• Port rotation: Shanghai - Hong Kong - Brisbane - Auckland - Nelson - Timaru - Port Chalmers - Napier - Tauranga - Shanghai
• First sailing: Maersk Innoshima ETD Shanghai, 21 October

In addition, Maersk will enhance its service between Southeast Asia and Oceania by removing Napier from its rotation starting in November.

• Carrier service name: Southern Star
• Port rotation: Tanjung Pelepas - Singapore - Sydney - Tauranga - Lyttleton - Port Chalmers - Tanjung Pelepas
• First sailing: Maersk Rio Bravo ETD Tanjung Pelepas, 3 November

As a result of these changes, Maersk will decommission its Polaris and Triple Star services.

North Europe↔South America

At the end of October, MSC will revise the port rotation of the North West Europe, USA and South America West Coast service by adding a port call in Paita, Peru.

• Carrier service name: NWC - USA - SAWC
• Port rotation: Antwerp - Sines - Caucedo - Cartagena - Colon - Cristobal - Panama (Atlantic) - Panama (Pacific) - Rodman - Callao - San Antonio - Coronel - Valparaiso - Pisco - Callao - Paita - Rodman - Panama (Pacific) - Panama (Atlantic) -Cristobal - London Gateway - Rotterdam - Antwerp
• First sailing: MSC Elma ETD week 44

Furthermore, in week 40, MSC will launch a new service to connect Europe with the US East Coast and South America.

• Carrier service name: ECUADOR - NWC & SCAN BALTIC - USA
• Port rotation: Antwerp - Rotterdam - Bremerhaven - Hamburg - Zeebrugge - Felixstowe - Le Havre - Boston - New York - Philadelphia - Norfolk - Jacksonville - Freeport - Cristobal - Panama (Atlantic) - Panama (Pacific) - Rodman - Guayaquil - Paita - Puerto Bolivar - Guayaquil - Panama (Pacific) - Panama (Atlantic) - Cristobal - Moin - Antwerp
• First vessel: MSC Vidisha R ETD week 40

Middle East↔Mediterranean

In late September, CMA CGM launched a new service between the Middle East and the Mediterranean, deploying two 3,200 TEU vessels.

• Carrier service name: LMX
• Port rotation: Jebel Ali – Jubail – Mersin – Iskenderun – Beirut – Jebel Ali
• First sailing: CMA CGM Navegantes, ATD Jebel Ali, 28 September

North America↔Oceania

In late October, Hapag Lloyd and Maersk will adjust the rotation of their service between the US East Coast, New Zealand, and Australia. Charleston will replace the port call in Savannah.

• Carrier service name: ANP (Hapag-Lloyd), OC1 (Maersk)
• Port rotation: Philadelphia - Charleston - Balboa - Tauranga - Sydney - Melbourne - Port Chalmers - Tauranga - Manzanillo - Cartagena - Philadelphia
• First sailing: Maersk Willemstadt, ETA Charleston, 25 October

North America↔South America

From September 2024, Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd will temporarily adjust the port rotation of the Tango/SEC service, which links the North American East Coast to the South American East Coast. This adjustment will involve omitting the port call at Norfolk for at least seven weeks.

• Carrier service name: Tango (Maersk), SEC (Hapag-Lloyd)
• Port rotation: Salvador - Pecem - New York - Philadelphia - Charleston - Jacksonville - Port Everglades - Santos - Buenos Aires - Rio Grande - Itapoa - Santos - Rio de Janeiro - Salvador
• First sailing: Monte Verde, ETD Salvador, 22 September

Mediterranean/Black Sea↔West Africa

Starting in October 2024, CMA CGM will enhance its service offering from Europe to West Africa as follows:

1 - CMA CGM and Marguisa will remove the call in Freetown on their service between main ports in Spain and Middle Africa.

• Carrier service name: EURAF4
• Port rotation: Valencia - Algeciras - Tanger Med - Lome - Bata - Malabo - Kribi - Libreville - Valencia
• First sailing: Lutetia, ETD Valencia, 7 October

2 - On its MEDWAX service, CMA CGM will remove the call in Dakar and add a call in Freetown.

• Carrier service name: MEDWAX
• Port rotation: Algeciras - Tanger Med - Freetown - Conakry - Monrovia - San Pedro - Algeciras
• First sailing: CMA CGM Guarani, ETD Algeciras, 3 October

3 - On its WAZZAN service, the carrier will add port calls in Dakar and Casablanca. 

• Carrier service name: WAZZAN
• Port rotation: Algeciras - Tanger Med - Nouakchott - Dakar - Nouadhibou - Las Palmas - Casablanca - Algeciras
• First sailing: Lion, ETA Casablanca, 10 October.

4 - In addition, CMA CGM will offer a new service dedicated to Gambia and Guinea-Bissau markets starting mid-October.

• Carrier service name: BIJAGOS
• Port rotation: Algeciras - Tanger Med - Dakar - Banjul - Bissau - Algeciras
• First sailing: EM HYDRA - ETA Algeciras, 14 October

Intra-Mediterranean/Black Sea

Beginning in late September, ONE and GFS will adjust the port rotation of their West Mediterranean to East Mediterranean service by adding a port call in Aliaga.

• Carrier service name: STS
• Port rotation: Istanbul - Gebze - Aliaga - Barcelona - Valencia - Algeciras - Istanbul.
• First sailing: GFS Sapphire ETD Istanbul, 21 September.

Other carrier news

Chinese carrier turns Red Sea crisis into opportunity

China United Lines (CULines) announced further expansion in the Red Sea, including upgrading its China-Red Sea-East Africa REX2 loop to a weekly service and launching a new India-Middle East-Red Sea regional loop, IMR2. The details of the IMR2 have not yet been released.

Further to these two services, CULines independently operates its REX service between China and Saudi Arabia. The service launched earlier this year began with one vessel on a monthly rotation to six vessels offering weekly departures.

According to Lloyd's List, Chinese-linked vessels have demonstrated relatively safe passage despite the risks associated with the volatile Red Sea route. This advantage stems from Beijing's ties and influence in the Middle East.

CMA CGM invests in Brazilian multi-terminal operator

CMA CGM has announced the acquisition of a 48% stake in Santos Brasil Participações S/A, a leading Brazilian multi-terminal operator. This strategic investment includes South America's largest container terminal, Tecon Santos, in the Port of Santos. The acquisition aims to enhance CMA CGM's presence in Brazil, improve terminal capacity and service quality, and support the development of Santos Brasil's terminals. Read more

For more point-to-point service options, refer to seaexplorer.