Carrier Service Update (17 - 29 January)

Carriers announce temporary service changes to Transpacific and Asia-Europe in light of the Red Sea situation

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Our bi-weekly carrier update brings you the latest news about the new and updated sea freight services our top carriers offer on main trade routes.

With the developments in the Red Sea, ocean carriers mainly focused on optimising their service networks. This includes changes for major East-West trades as well as feeder services in the Middle East and Mediterranean.

New & updated services on main trade lanes

Asia <-> Europe

Carrier Service Update (17 - 29 January)

In addition, Maersk has announced two new Red Sea - Mediterranean Services beginning in February.

Carrier service name: Red Sea West Mediterranean Service
Port rotation: Port Said - Jeddah - King Abdullah - Port Said - Barcelona - Port Tangier - Algeciras - Vado - Port Said
First sailing: Dina Trader departing Barcelona on 21 February 2024

Carrier service name: Red Sea Mediterranean Service
Port rotation: Jeddah - Port Said - Port Tangier - Port Tangier - Port Said
First sailing: Celsius Nicosia departing Port Said on 18 February 2024

Transpacific

Taking into account the situation in the Red Sea, Maersk and MSC announced changes to four Transpacific services.

Carrier service name: TP17 (Maersk); America (MSC)
Changes: This service will continue to go via the Cape of Good Hope in both directions. An additional vessel will join the service to compensate for the longer transit time.
Effective sailing: Maersk Sana voyage 408W departing Hong Kong on 18 February

Carrier service name: TP12 (Maersk)
Changes: This service will continue to go via the Cape of Good Hope on the US East Coast to Asia transit and will omit Salalah.
Effective sailing: Georg Maersk voyage 403W departing Newark 25 January

Carrier service name: TP16 (Maersk); Emerald (MSC)
Changes: This service will continue to go via the Cape of Good Hope on the US East Coast to Asia transit, with the window adjustment
Effective sailing: Seroja Lima voyage 407E departing Xiamen on 16 February

Carrier service name: TP11 (Maersk) ; Elephant (MSC)
Changes: This service will continue to go via the Cape of Good Hope in both directions, with the window adjustment
Effective sailing: Maersk Saigon voyage 407W departing Singapore on 22 February

Carrier service name: Santana Service (MSC)
Port rotation: No changes to rotation but longer transit times via Cape of Good Hope.

After attacks on two of its vessels, Maersk's US Flag MECL service will no longer transit through the Red Sea. Ships will be rerouted around the Cape of Good Hope.

Europe <-> Indian Ocean and Australia

CMA CGM and MSC have temporarily restructured their joint service to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

Due to the extra transit times, Malta will be omitted on the northbound voyage.

On the southbound leg, the Mediterranean Sea will be omitted. All Mediterranean import volumes will be transshipped either in Tanger Med or in Hamburg.

Carrier service name: NEMO (CMA CGM); Australia Express (MSC)
Port rotation: London Gateway - Rotterdam - Hamburg - Antwerp - Le Havre - Valencia - La Spezia - Fos Sur Mer - Pointe des Galets - Port Louis - Sydney - Melbourne - Adelaide - Fremantle - Singapore - Ennore (Chennai) - Colombo - London Gateway
First sailing: C Hamburg sailed London Gateway on 31 December.

Europe <-> South Africa

MSC will enhance its service between Europe and South Africa in March by including a direct Bremerhaven call.

Carrier service name: NWC to South Africa
Port Rotation: London Gateway - Rotterdam - Antwerp - Hamburg - Bremerhaven - Le Havre - Sines - Las Palmas - Coega - Durban - Coega - Cape Town - Las Palmas - London Gateway
First sailing: MSC Branka in Bremerhaven on 19 March

Europe <-> South America

Maersk will add a Bremerhaven call to its Europe- East Coast South America service in mid-February. According to the carrier, adding Bremerhaven also provides a solution for Intra-Europe shipments.

Carrier service name: SAMBA (Maersk) ; SAFRAN1 (CMA CGM)
Port rotation: London - Rotterdam - Hamburg - Bremerhaven - Antwerp - Tangier - Santos - Paranagua - Buenos Aires - Montevideo - Rio Grande - Paranagua - Santos - Tangier - London
First sailing: San Antonio Maersk leaving Bremerhaven on 15 February

Indian Subcontinent and Middle East <-> Europe

Maersk announced changes to its service connecting these regions.

The service will turn around in the West Mediterranean, and westbound calls to Salalah and Jeddah will be paused for now.

Cargo bound for northern Europe will be transhipped via hubs in Algeciras and Port Tangier. Cargo bound for the Middle East will connect via Salah and Jebel Ali.

Carrier service name: ME2
Port rotation: Jebel Ali - Mundra - Jawaharlal Nehru - Port Tangier - Algeciras - Salalah - Jebel Ali
First sailing: Eastbound - Maersk Gibraltar sailing from Port Tangier on 23 January and Westbound - Salalah on 4 February.

Intra-Asia

Maersk will introduce a new service between the Middle East, India, and Sri Lanka. In addition, the service will offer connections to Europe and the Far East via Colombo on AE7 and AE55 services, respectively.

Carrier service name: Chennai-Salalah Shuttle
Port rotation: Salalah - Colombo - Ennore - Colombo - Salalah
First sailing: 15 February

In addition, Maersk announced two new services for cargo from the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent.

Carrier service name: Gulf Service
Port rotation: Salalah - Jebel Ali - Doha - Damman - Al Jubayl - Jebel Ali - Abu Dhabi - Duqm - Salalah
First sailing: San Clemente departing from Salalah on 5 February 2024.

Carrier Service name: Arabian Sea Service
Port rotation: Salalah - Jebel Ali - Port Qasim - Pipavav - Nhava Sheva - Salalah
First sailing: GSL Kalliopi departing Salalah on 9 February 2024.

Maersk restructured its shuttle service between India, the Middle East and Djibouti to omit Red Sea ports ( King Abdullah, Jeddah and Djibouti). Additionally, bookings to Djouti on this service are suspended.

Carrier service name: Blue Nile Express (BNX)
Port rotation: Jebel Ali - Salalah - Hazira - Nhava Sheva - Jebel Ali

Hapag-Lloyd has temporarily suspended its Asia - Red Sea Service (AR1)

Intra-Europe

In January, CMA CGM reshuffled its service between Turkey, Malta, Italy, France, and Algeria, offering a direct service between Western Turkey and Skikda, Algeria.

Carrier service name: TMX2
Port rotation: Gemlik - Izmit- Ambarli - Aliaga - Malta - Salerno - Genoa - Marseille - Skikda
Frequency: Weekly
Vessel deployment: 4 vessels with an average capacity of 1,700 TEU
First sailing: Kestrel from Gemlik on 12 January

In February, ONE will revise its Intra-Europe service between East and West Mediterranean. Yang Ming will slot charter on this service. Trieste and Piraeus will be dropped from the rotation and Valencia will be added.

Carrier service name: AIB
Port rotation: Damietta - Beirut (fortnightly) - Valencia - Alexandria - Koper - Venice - Ancona - - Damietta
Vessel deployment: 3 vessels with an average capacity of 1,100 TEU
First sailing: Marielyst to depart Damietta on 10 February

On 27 January, Evergreen launched its new Intra-Europe service connecting Greece with Libya.