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.
MSC announces standalone service between Oceania and the US East Coast
The world's largest carrier announced it would launch a dedicated service between Australia and New Zealand to the US East Coast in February 2026.
The new Eagle service will run weekly using 11 vessels on the following rotation:
Philadelphia - Savannah - Freeport - Rodman - Papeete - Auckland - Sydney - Melbourne - Brisbane - Tauranga - Rodman - Cristobal - Philadelphia.
In addition to offering a direct service between Oceania and the US East Coast, the port rotation will provide connections for cargo to/ from Europe, Central and South America, and the USA Gulf ports via Panama.
The launch of this new service is said to challenge Maersk's dominant market share on this growing trade.
Gemini Cooporation - Temporary Adjustment to AE11/SE2
Due to the congestion and related delays in Genoa, the alliance will adjust their AE11/SE2 service between Asia and the Mediterranean. The following vessels will omit Genoa and be diverted to APMT Vado:
- Eleonora Maersk / V527W, 533E - ETA Genoa 19 August 2025
- Maersk Havana / V528W, 534E - ETA Genoa 26 August 2025
- Arthur Maersk / V529W, 535E - ETA Genoa 2 September 2025
- Ane Maersk / V530W, 536E - ETA Genoa 9 September 2025
- Alette Maersk / V531W, 537E - ETA Genoa 16 September 2025
- Maersk Hidalgo / V532W, 538E - ETA Genoa 23 September 2025
New & updated services
Asia↔Africa
In September, MSC will launch a new service between Asia and West Africa as follows:
- Carrier service name: Iroko
- Port rotation: Ningbo - Nansha - Singapore - Pointe Noire - Cotonou - Lagos - Onne - Lobito - Singapore - Xiamen - Ningbo
- First sailing: TBA
Asia↔South America
In September, MSC will launch a new service between Asia and South America West Coast as follows:
- Carrier service name: Alpaca
- Port rotation: Ningbo - Busan - Callao - Arica - Iquique - San Antonio - Nansha - Hong Kong - Ningbo
- First sailing: TBA
Asia↔South and Central America
Hapag-Lloyd announced it has decided to suspend calls to Ensenada, Mexico in the westbound rotation, due to risks and delays to port operations. The suspension will be in place until further notice.
- Carrier service name: Asia Mexico Express(TPM/AME1)
- Port rotation: Ningbo -Shanghai - Qingdao - Busan - Yokohama - Ensenada - Lazaro Cardenas, Manzanillo - Puerto Quetzal - Buenaventura - Callao, Guyaquil - Buenaventura - Rodman - Lazaro Cardenas - Manzanillo - Yokohama - Busan - Ningbo
- First sailing: TBA
Intra Asia
ONE will enhance its Vietnam Singapore Express service by adding a port call in Qingzhou. The service will offer a direct route between Qingzhou and Vietnam.
- Carrier service name: VSX
- Port rotation: Haiphong - Cai Mep - Singapore - Qinzhou - Haiphong
- First sailing: MV Haian View /V1515, ETA Qinzhou 26 August
On 1 August, Maersk launched its JP1 service connecting China and Japan. ONE slot charters on this service.
- Carrier service name: JP1(Maersk), IA9 (ONE)
- Port rotation: Dalian - Qingdao - Yokohama - Nagoya - Kobe - Dalian
- First sailing: MTT Sapangar / V531N, ATD Dalian 1 August
Intra Europe
From early August, Hapag-Lloyd will add a port call in Wilhelmshaven to its service between Germany and the Baltic.
- Carrier service name: PEX
- Port rotation: Hamburg - Wilhelmshaven - Klaipeda - Gdynia - Hamburg
- First sailing: Songa Panther / V253E, ETA Wilhelmshaven, 14 August
Intra Mediterranean/Black Sea
ONE will launch its Egypt, Lebanon, and Türkiye 2 service in August. The service will be run biweekly and cover Egypt, Lebanon, Türkiye, and Greece.
- Carrier service name: EL2
- Port rotation: Damietta - Beirut - Iskenderun - Mersin - Piraeus
- First sailing: BF Perch /V0059, ETA Damietta 20 August
Mediterranean/Black Sea↔North America
MSC revised the port rotation of its transatlantic service between the Mediterranean and East Coast North America. The port calls in Algeciras, Aliaga and Boston were removed from the rotation, while Malaga and Iskenderun were added.
- Carrier service name: EMUSA
- Port rotation: Aliaga - Tekirdag - Piraeus - Iskenderun - Haifa - Fos Sur Mer - Barcelona - Valencia - Malaga - Sines - New York - Philadelphia - Norfolk - Charleston - Savannah - Aliaga
- First sailing: MSC Magnum VII / MZ530A, ATD Aliaga 20 July
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.
