Peter T. Leach | Apr 01, 2011 8:12AM EDT
Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, NYK Line and OOCL, together with alliance partner Zim Integrated Shipping Services, are teaming up with Hyundai Merchant Marine to launch an all-water service from North Asia to the U.S. East Coast.
They said Thursday they will launch the South China East Coast Express 2 on May 12, at the same time as they revise the port calls of the existing South China East Coast Express.
The new all-water service will start three days before the Grand Alliance resumes its Japan-China Express on May 15 to the U.S. West Coast. The service was suspended during the slack winter season.
The new SCE2 loop, which covers Pusan, Central China and South China in Asia, will provide service to the U.S. South Atlantic ports that complement the port calls by the revised SCE rotation, which is being enhanced with a direct westbound call at Miami, while Kingston will be covered by SCE2.
The port rotations of SCE and SCE2 are as follows:
As of May 12, the SCE2 will call at Pusan, Shanghai (Yangshan), Xiamen, Da Chan Bay, Hong Kong, Yantian, Panama Canal, Manzanillo, Kingston, Savannah, Charleston, Kingston, Manzanillo, Panama Canal and back to Pusan.
As of May 13, the existing SCE will call at Kaohsiung, Shekou, Hong Kong, Panama Canal, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Miami, Panama Canal and back to Kaohsiung.
-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com.