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 & updated services
Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have resumed limited transits through the Red Sea, marking a cautious step back into a corridor largely avoided since 2023 due to security risks.
According to the Journal of Commerce, the move follows recent geopolitical developments, including a ceasefire between the US and Iran, although both carriers emphasise that a broader return depends on regional stability and decisions by Iranian authorities.
Only a small number of vessels have been deployed, with both companies maintaining unchanged schedules and ruling out a full network return at this stage. As a result, the operational impact remains limited, with services continuing to rely on alternative routings while safety concerns persist.
Asia↔Africa
Evergreen launched UBX service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service will be 9 vessels, averaging between 4,800 and 5,600 TEU.
- Carrier service name: UBX/SAF
- Port rotation: Shanghai - Ningbo - Kaohsiung - Shekou - Singapore - Durban - Cape Town - Singapore - Shanghai
- First sailing: 28 May 2026
Asia↔Indian Subcontinent
COSCO launched a new Asia-ISC service -SEI2. The service is launched with 5 vessels averaging 3800 TEU.
- Carrier service name: SEI2
- Port rotation: Qinzhou - Yangpu - Haiphong - Singapore - Mundra - Singapore - Hong Kong - Qinzhou
- First sailing: 01 Jun 2026
Asia↔North America
CMA CGM has temporarily suspended its Asia–US Columbus pendulum service, which previously linked multiple East Coast ports, as part of a broader network adjustment. While no exact effective date was provided, the service was expected to phase out by the end of September, with a final sailing in May and scheduled port calls extending into mid-summer.
MSC to re-launch Transpacific service - Pearl. The service deploys vessels with an average vessel capacity of 6200 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Pearl
- Port rotation: Yantian - Xiamen - Long Beach - Yantian
- First sailing: 14 Jun 2026
MSC to re-launch Transpacific service - Sentosa. The service removes the call at Xiamen and deploys vessels with an average vessel capacity of 14900 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Sentosa
- Port rotation: Vung Tau - Haiphong - Yantian - Xiamen - Long Beach - Oakland - Singapore - Port Klang - Laem Chabang - Vung Tau
- First sailing: 08 Jun 2026
Ocean Alliance revised the port rotation of the Transpacific service - CBX. The service reinstates Port Klang and adds New York, deploying 14 vessels with an average capacity of 14500 TEU.
- Carrier service name: CBX
- Port rotation: Cai Mep - Yantian - Shanghai - Busan - Norfolk - New York - Charleston - Savannah - Port Klang - Cai Mep
- First sailing: 02 Jun 2026
OCEAN Alliance launches the Mekong Transpacific Express service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service will be 9,000-13,000 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Mekong Transpacific Express
- Port rotation: Haiphong - Cai Mep - Shanghai - Los Angeles - Oakland - Kaohsiung - Shekou - Haiphong
- First sailing: 28 May 2026
MSC launches the Sierra service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service will be 9,000 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Sierra
- Port rotation: Shanghai - Qingdao - Busan - Manzanillo - Lazaro Cardenas - Shanghai
- First sailing: 24 Jun 2026
Asia↔North Europe
Premier Alliance to revise the port rotation of Asia-North Europe services - FE3. The service drops Algeciras and adds Antwerp, deploying 17 vessels with an average capacity of 21300 TEU.
- Carrier service name: FE3
- Port rotation: Qingdao - Ningbo - Yantian - Singapore - Felixstowe - Antwerp - Hamburg - Qingdao
- First sailing: 13 Jun 2026
Asia↔South America
CMA CGM revised the Asia-South America service - ACSA1. The service adds calls at Manzanillo and Lazaro Cardenas and deploys 13 vessels with an average capacity of 14000 TEU.
- Carrier service name: ACSA1
- Port rotation: Shanghai - Manzanillo (Mexico) - Lázaro Cárdenas - Buenaventura - San Antonio - Chancay - Callao - Posorja - Yokohama - Busan - Tianjin Xingang - Qingdao - Ningbo - Shanghai
- First sailing: 05 Jun 2026
Intra-Asia
Evergreen will charter slots on an Intra-Asia service - JHTN. The service will see Evergreen chartering slots on an existing service operated by TS Lines. It deploys three vessels with an average vessel capacity of 1200 TEU.
- Carrier service name: JHTN
- Port rotation: Shekou - Xiamen - Osaka - Kobe - Busan - Kwangyang - Keelung - Taichung - Hong Kong - Shekou
- First sailing: 13 Jun 2026
Maersk launched the PH1 service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service is 4 x 2,100-3,500 teu.
- Carrier service name: PH1
- Port rotation: Busan - Xiamen - Qingdao - Xiamen - Manila - Nansha - Hong Kong - Busan
- First sailing: 06 Jun 2026
MSC launches the Ochna service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service will be 3 vessels, averaging between 2,550 and 2,650 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Ochna
- Port rotation: Dalian - Xingang - Qingdao - Haiphong - Ho Chi Minh City - Dalian
- First sailing: 19 Jun 2026
Mediterranean/Black Sea↔Africa
ONE launches the Mediterranean Africa Express (MAX) service. The number of ships and average capacity of this service will be 5 vessels, averaging between 2,700 and 2,800 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Mediterranean Africa Express (MAX)
- Port rotation: Algeciras - Tangier - Dakar - Tema - Lekki - Abidjan - Algeciras
- First sailing: 07 Jul 2026
North America↔Oceania
MSC revised the port rotation of the North America-Oceania service - Eagle. The service adds a call at Napier with vessels averaging 4000 TEU.
- Carrier service name: Eagle
- Port rotation: Brisbane - Wellington - Napier - Tauranga - Balboa - Cristobal - Philadelphia - Savannah - Freeport - Balboa - Papeete - Auckland - Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane
- First sailing: 26 May 2026
For more point-to-point service options, including transit times across major ocean carriers, refer to seaexplorer.
