Peter T. Leach, Senior Editor | Dec 08, 2011 10:04AM EST
Hamburg Sud and Maersk Line will combine a Asia-South America service with a service operating by CMA CGM, CSAV and China Shipping Co., starting later this month.
The latest round of vessel-sharing agreements comes as the container line industry aggressively restructures itself to stave off weak demand and overcapacity. The pact between the two groups of carriers combines services between Asia, South Africa and the East Coast of South America.
During the period from December 2011 through May 2012, Hamburg Sud and Maersk’s ASAS/NGX Sling 2 service will be merged CMA CGM, CSAV and China Shipping’s ASAX/SEAS Sling 2 service. The new joint service will consists of 11 vessels with capacities of 4,200 to 4,600 20-foot equivalent units deployed by all five carriers.
The port rotation of the new joint service is: Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Durban, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Paranagua, Itajai, Santos, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Singapore, Hong Kong and back to Shanghai.
The new joint service will kick off with the departure of the Cap Jackson from Shanghai on Dec. 16.
The current capacity deployed by the carriers in the ASAS/NGX Sling 1 service and ASAX/SEAS Sling 1 service will remain unchanged and independent.
The structure of the two unchanged weekly slings will be as follows:
ASAS/NGX 1 will be made up of 11 vessels with capacities of between 7,100 – 7,450 20-foot equivalent units, which will be deployed by Hamburg Sud and Maersk Line.
ASAX/SEAS 1 will consist of 11 vessels with capacities of 6,500-TEUs provided by CMA-CGM, CSAV and China Shipping.
-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.
