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.

Asia-North America capacity largely unchanged in August

Linerlytica reports carriers are hesitant to withdraw capacity on the Transpacific trade despite the softening demand and the uncertainty surrounding the 1 August 2025 tariff deadline.

"Average capacity in July remains at over 360,000 teu to the West Coast, and over 215,000 teu to the East Coast with only minor reductions planned in August," noted the report.

Further analysis dated 14 July 2025 shows that capacity deployed on the Far East to East Coast of North America route rose by 5.1% month-on-month, while capacity to the West Coast increased by 7%.

Sea Intelligence, an analytics firm that tracks weekly capacity deployment, observed notable week-to-week fluctuations.

On the Asia-North American West Coast trade route, weekly capacity increases by 18% in week 29 (mid-July) and falls by 12.7% the following week, before sharply increasing to 387,800 TEU in week 35 (late August). However, for August weeks 31 to 34, capacity adjustments range from -6.1% to 2.8%.

On the East Coast trade route, capacity drops sharply by 25% in week 31 (end of July) to 203.700 TEU and rebounds significantly to 273,100 TEU in week 36 (early September). Similar to the West Coast, for weeks 33 to 35 in August, capacity changes range from -6.2% to 4.8%.

These fluctuations in weekly capacity may indicate that carriers are taking a cautious approach to adjustments on these routes, opting instead to remain flexible amid an uncertain tariff environment and evolving demand trends.

Maersk extends diversion to Southampton on Neo-Samba service

Due to the challenges faced at London Gateway in recent months, Maersk announced it would divert its London Gateway calls on the Neo-Samba service to Southampton.

While the congestion at London Gateway seems to be easing, the carrier announced extending the diversions until the end of August.

The following sailings will call Southampton instead of London Gateway:

• Maersk la Paz 527N/531S: 31 July 2025 - 1 August 2025
• Maersk Leticia 528N/532S: 7 - 8 August 2025
• Maersk Labrea 529N/533S, 14 - 15 August 2025
• San Raphael Maersk 530N/534S: 21 - 22 August 2025
• Maersk Lanco 531N/535S: 28 - 29 August 2025

New and updated services

Asia↔North Europe

Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk announced their NE4/AE5 service will temporarily operate with a revised port rotation starting in September. Hamburg will be called before Bremerhaven, and Aarhus and Gothenburg will be added to the rotation.

With these adjustments, the carriers aim to improve schedule reliability and address the fluctuating port congestion in Europe.

It's APM terminal in Aarhus offers a strategic location and operational capabilities, allowing for the reconfiguration of shuttle coverage across the region. These vessels will be proactively redeployed to areas within Europe where the risk of disruption to customers’ supply chains is expected to be higher.

• Carrier service name: NE4 (Hapag-Lloyd), AE5 (Maersk)
• Port rotation: Qingdao - Yantian - Tanjung Pelepas - London - Hamburg - Bremerhaven - Aarhus - Gothenburg - Rotterdam - Tanjung Pelepas - Qingdao
• First sailing: Morten Maersk / 529W, ETA Aarhus 1 September

Asia↔North America

In August, the Premier Alliance will revise the port rotation of its EC2 and EC3 services between Asia and East Coast North America..

The EC2 port call in Jacksonville will be discontinued. ONE, Yang Ming, and HMM operate this service.

The position of the Jacksonville and Savannah calls will be swapped on the EC3 service. ONE runs this service: Yang Ming and HMM slot charter.

• Carrier service name: EC2
• Port rotation: Xiamen - Yantian - Ningbo - Shanghai - Busan - Manzanillo (Panama) - Savannah - Charleston - Manzanillo (Panama) - Busan - Xiamen
• First sailing: YM Totality, ETD Xiamen 6 August

• Carrier service name: EC3
• Port rotation: Laem Chabang - Cai Mep - Singapore - Colombo - Halifax - New York - Jacksonville - Savannah - Charleston - Norfolk - New York - Halifax - Singapore - Laem Chabang
• First sailing: ONE Aquila, ETD Laem Chabang 4 August

Central America↔North Europe

Maersk will replace its current CRX and COEX services with its new CAX service between the Caribbean and North Europe. The rotation includes Puerto Antioquia, which will be served by a feeder connecting in Manzanillo (PA) until the new terminal is fully operational.

• Carrier service name: CAX
• Port rotation: Antwerp - Southampton - Hamburg - Bremerhaven - Newark - Manzanillo (PA) - Puerto Antioquia* - Puerto Moin - Manzanillo (PA)
• First sailing: Northbound: Monte Linzor, ETD Puerto Moin, 26 September. Southbound: Maersk Monte Alto, ETA Antwerp 29 September

Indian Subcontinent↔North America

From July, CMA CGM dropped Charleston from its INDAMEX service between the Indian Subcontinent and the North American East Coast.

• Carrier service name: INDAMEX
• Port rotation: Nhava Sheva - Mundra - Colombo - New York - Norfolk - Savannah - Charleston - Port Qasim - Nhava Sheva
• First sailing: Belita, ATD Nhava Sheva on 16 July

Intra Africa

CMA CGM launched a new intra-West Africa service in July, connecting Senegal, Nigeria, and Guinea-Bissau. Two vessels will run the service fortnightly.

• Carrier service name: BIJAGOS2
• Port rotation: Bissau - Lekki - Dakar - Bissau
• First sailing: Jonathan P, ATD Buissau 18 July

Intra Europe

CMA CGM will add Zeebrugge to its Irish Sea Express service, allowing for connection with Far East, Victory Bridge and Baltic services.

• Carrier service name: ISX
• Port rotation: Zeebrugge - Antwerp - Dunkerque - Liverpool - Dublin - Belfast - Greenock - Zeebrugge
• First sailing: Vera Rambow, ETD Greenock 23 July

In mid-July, CMA CGM revised the port rotation of its service connecting Malta and Greece to Turkey. The carrier made a call in Port Said and a second call in Beirut.

• Carrier service name: GTL
• Port rotation: Tripoli - Beirut - Port Said - Marsaxlokk - Misurata - Marsaxlokk - Thessaloniki - Piraeus - Limassol - Damietta - Beirut - Mersin - Tripoli
• First sailing: Belitaki, ATD Tripoli 16 July

Intra Medditerranean

In mid-July, MSC relaunched its West Med to Greece/Turkiye service.

• Carrier service name: West Med to Greece/Turkiye
• Port rotation: Barcelona - Valencia - Gioia Tauro - Piraeus - Tekirdag - Izmit - Gemlik - Aliaga - Gioia Tauro - Marseille - Barcelona
• First sailing: TBA, ATD Barcelona 17 July

Europe↔North America

In early August, Maersk and CMA CGM will add Antwerp as the first port of call in Europe to the rotation of their express service between Canada and Northern Europe.

• Carrier service name: Canada Express Service - CAE (Maersk), SL1 (CMA CGM)
• Port rotation: Antwerp - Bremerhaven - Rotterdam - Montreal - Halifax - Antwerp
• First sailing: CMA CGM PARANAGUA 532W, ETA Antwerp 7 August

South America↔North Europe

Maersk will revise the rotation of its CLX service by adding Santa Marta-Magdalena (Colombia) as the last port in Latin America and Southampton as the first port in Europe. The Rotterdam and Antwerp rotations will be swapped.

• Carrier service name: CLX
• Port rotation: Callao - Valparaiso - Pisco - Balboa - Manzanillo - Santa Marta-Magdalena - Southampton - Rotterdam - Antwerp - Hamburg - Tanger Med - Cartagena - Manzanillo - Balboa - Callao
• First sailing: Northbound: JPO Libra, ETA Callao 12 September, Southbound: JPO Libra, ETA Southampton 11 October

For more point-to-point service options, including transit times across major ocean carriers, refer to seaexplorer.

Stay ahead with the latest updates! Subscribe to our SeaNews newsletter for the most relevant information.