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 ↔ Central America

In early August, MSC will launch a new service to connect Asia with Mexico.

• Carrier services name: Dahlia
• Port rotation: Shekou – Xiamen – Shanghai – Busan – Manzanillo (Mexico) – Lazaro Cardenas – Shekou
• First sailing: MSC Floriana VI, V.QD431A, ETD Shekou, 3 August

Asia ↔ Indian Subcontinent

MSC will launch a new service in late July, connecting Asia with the Indian Subcontinent.

• Carrier service name: Osprey
• Port rotation: Shanghai – Ningbo – Singapore – Colombo – Chennai – Visakhapatnam – Shanghai
• First sailing: MSC Somya III, (Voyage TBA), ETD Shanghai, 23 July

Indian Subcontinent ↔ North America

From 8 August, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM will add calls in Savannah and Charleston to their INDAMEX service, connecting the Indian Subcontinent and the US East Coast.

Consequently, Hapag-Lloyd will discontinue its INDAMEX 2 (IN2) service with immediate effect. Hapag-Lloyd will include Savannah for sailings on INDAMEX before 8 August.

• Carrier service name: INDAMEX
• Port rotation: Port Qasim - Nhava Sheva - Mundra - New York (Maher) - Norfolk - Savannah - Charleston - Port Qasim
• First sailing Hapag-Lloyd: Torrente V.4132, ETA Port Qasim, 8 August
• First sailing CMA CGM: APL Southampton, (Voyage TBA), ETD Port Qasim, 15 August

Indian Sub Continent ↔ North Europe

In mid-June, Hapag-Lloyd revised its service between North Europe, the Arabian Gulf, Pakistan and India.

• Carrier service name: IOS
• Port rotation: Jebel Ali - Karachi - Nhava Sheva - Mundra - Tanger - Rotterdam - Hamburg - Antwerp - London Gateway - Tanger - Jebel Ali.
• First sailing: Seaspan Hudson, V.4324W ATD Jebel Ali, 18 June

Intra-Asia

As of late June, CMA CGM launched a new fortnightly service connecting Chennai exports to Singapore and Colombo.

•  Carrier service name: IEX 2
• Port rotation: Singapore - Chennai - Colombo - Singapore
• First sailing: Hansa Homburg, V.0ZN31W1MA, ATD Singapore, 28 June

In July, MSC will upgrade its service between China, Bangladesh and Singapore. The service will offer a 10-day transit time from Shanghai, China to Chattogram, Bangladesh.

• Carrier service name: Bengal
• Port rotation: Qingdao – Ningbo – Shanghai – Chattogram – Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Qingdao
• First sailing: MSC Chaewon V.SX428A, ETD Qingdao, 9 July

Also, MSC announced improvements to its Intrra-Asia service to/from Japan, which it says will significantly benefit long-haul cargo with a connection via Busan.

• Carrier service name: Kaguya
• Port rotation: Kobe - Osaka - Hakata - Busan - Kobe
• First sailing: MSC Lilou III V.HG429A, ETD Busan 21 July

From mid-July, MSC will launch a new service to connect central China with Vietnam.

• Carrier service name: SAOLA
• Port rotation: Shanghai – Ningbo – Haiphong – Ho Chi Minh City – Vung Tau – Shanghai
• First sailing: MSC Vigour V.HG428A, ETD Shanghai, 11 July

Intra-Mediterranean/Black Sea

As of mid-July, CMA CGM will launch a new intra-Mediterranean service linking Turkey with Egypt and Lebanon. 

• Carrier service name: EMED Express 1 (EMED1)
• Port rotation: Antalya - Alexandria - Beirut - Antalya
• First sailing: Vessel TBA, ETD Antalya 10 July

In June, CMA CGM reshuffled two Intra-Med services, serving Turkey, Spain, France, Malta, Western Italy, Sicily and Algeria.

1. The EURONAF service will continue to focus on Algerian markets to/from the rest of the world and will sustain a maritime bridge between Malta and the Tyrrhenian Coast.
2. TMX2 service will maintain current coverage and offer direct connections from North Turkey to Algeria—Annaba and Djen Djen.

• Port rotation: Aliaga - Gemlik - Izmit - Ambarli - Malta - Salerno - Genoa - Marseille - Annaba - Djen Djen
• First sailing: Kestrel, ATA Aliaga, 21 June

North American ↔ Central America

As of 6 July, Hapag-Lloyd will update the port rotation of the California Central Express service by dropping the port call at Acajutja.

• Carrier service name: CCE
• Port rotation: Los Angeles - Mazatlan - Manzanillo - Lazaro Cardenas - Puerto Quetzal - Corinto - Puerto Caldera -Puerto Quetzal - Manzanillo - Los Angeles.
• Last sailing: NYK Joanna V.186 ETD Acajutja, 6 July

To cover El Salvador, Hapag-Lloyd will cover Acajutla with a new CCM Feeder, calling at Lazaro Cardenas and Acajutla in July. The service will begin with the Spirit of Dubai ETD Lazaro Cardenas on 9 July.

Mediterranean/Black Sea ↔ South America

In early July, MSC will integrate two of its Mediterranean to Canada trade routes into an all-in-one service.

• Carrier service name: Med Canadian Service
• Port rotation: Gioia Tauro – Naples – Livorno – Genoa – Valencia – Sines – Halifax – Montreal – Gioia Tauro
• First sailing: MSC Tamara V.MZ427A, ETD Gioia Tauro 4 July

Hapag-Lloyd rebrands its terminals division

On 1 July, Hapag-Lloyd rebranded its terminals division as Hanseatic Global Terminals to reflect its forward-looking ambitions and deep-rooted maritime tradition.

Based in Rotterdam, the company was launched in June 2023 as a fully owned but independent stand-alone business.

The new name was inspired by the "Hanseatic League", a historic association of sea-faring merchants in Northern Europe.

“Hanseatic Global Terminals strongly supports our commitment to quality, efficiency and sustainability,” said CEO of Hanseatic Global Terminals and Hapag-Lloyd board member Dheeraj Bhatia.

“Our customers and partners will enjoy significant benefits, such as even more reliable and efficient services. In addition, the increased manageability supports our sustainability efforts.”

Hanseatic Global Terminals' terminal portfolio currently includes 20 terminals in 11 countries, such as Container Terminal Altenwerder in Hamburg, JadeWeser Port in Wilhelmshaven, Terminal TC3 in Tanger Med and Terminal 2 in Damietta, which is under construction.

In addition, it manages terminals in the Americas, acquired through the acquisition of the terminal business of Chile-based SAAM Terminals, and in India through the investment in J M Baxi Ports & Logistics Limited. Furthermore, Hanseatic Global Terminals holds a minority stake in the Spinelli Group.