Remarkable progress at US East Coast but no improvements seen in the US West Coast
Bollore announced on 20 December 2021 that MSC has made an offer to acquire Bollore Africa Logistics for €5.7 Bn (US$6.4 Bn). MSC has until 31 March 2022 to put in a final bid. Bollore Africa Logistics is the biggest transport and logistics operator in Africa with 250 subsidiaries and some 21,000 employees in 49 countries, including 47 in Africa. It is present in 42 ports and operates 16 container terminal concessions and 7 ro-ro terminals, with over 90% of its revenue coming from its port op
Emirates Shipping (ESL), China United Lines (CUL) and Global Feeder Shipping (GFS) will jointly launch a new Vietnam Gulf India/Vietnam-Gulf Express (VGI/VGX) service in January 2022. The service will turn in 5 weeks and call at Ho Chi Minh City, Laem Chabang, Port Klang, Sohar, Jebel Ali, Nhava Sheva, Port Klang, Ho Chi Minh City. 4 ships will be used initially with one blank sailing in each 5 week cycle. The first sailing is scheduled at Ho Chi Minh City on 18 January with the 2,741 teu GFS
Samudera has started a new Singapore-Nhava Sheva service using 2 ships of 1,800 teu, the SINAR SUNDA and SINAR SORONG. The service is branded as the Nhava Sheva Singapore Express (NSX) with COSCO and ONE already signed up to take slots on the service, with COSCO retaining the NSX name while ONE calls the service Singapore India Express (SIX). The first sailing started on 13 December 2021 from Singapore.
Gold Star Line (GSL), OOCL and PIL have launched a new service connecting China and Malaysia, marketed respectively as the CM1, CSS3 and CSS. The service was originally scheduled to start on 18 December but the first sailing was delayed at 24 December, serving Qingdao, Shanghai, Xiamen, Nansha, Singapore, Port Klang, Penang, Port Klang, Pasir Gudang, Nansha, Qingdao. It will deploy 4 ships of 2,500 to 2,800 teu, with GSL providing 2 ships, the 2,872 teu AS CASPRIA and 2,554 teu ALS VESTA, whil
The Ellerman name is revived by Iain Liddell for a new service connecting China to the UK but the service will be marketed under the UniOcean Lines brand. The service has kicked off on with the 2,464 teu BUXHANSA that called at Ningbo on 7 December 2021 and Dachan Bay on 11 December. The ship is currently heading to the Tilbury in the UK. Ellerman has also taken the newly delivered 2,756 teu CAPE HELLAS, that has been chartered for 30 months at a reported daily rate of $54k. The ship docked at
DP World's Feedertech and X-Press Feeders have started a new Straits India Service (SIS)/Straits India X-Press (SIX) that call at Singapore, Port Klang, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Singapore. The service will turn in 3 weeks with 3 ships of 1,570 to 1,790 teu. The maiden voyage was performed by Feedertech's 1,714 teu ORNELLA from Singapore on 25 November 2021. Feedertech will also deploy the 1,794 teu AS SICILIA with X-Press providing the 1,794 teu HAIAN MIND. The service will call at the DP World ter
HMM has launched a new Far East-India-Latin America (FIL) service that will call at Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Kattupalli, Durban, Santos, Paranagua, Itapoa, Itajai, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Singapore, Hong Kong, Busan. The first sailing was on 7 December 2021 with the 3,190 teu HYUNDAI GOODWILL. 7 ships of 3,190 to 3,650 teu will be deployed the service will a full rotation that will take 12 weeks in total. The service will initially run on a fortnightly frequency and is expe
ZIM has launched a new ZIM Med-ISC (ZMI) service connecting Israel and Turkey to the Indian subcontinent. 4 panamax ships of 4,250-4,310 teu will be deployed on the new service that calls at Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Haifa, Mersin, Ambarli, Mundra. The first sailing is scheduled on 17 December 2021 with the 4,250 teu SEASPAN FELIXSTOWE, to be followed by SEASPAN DALIAN, TONGALA and KOTA LAGU. ZIM Med-ISC (ZMI) service route
MSC is continuing with its vessel retrofit program, with ships of over 20 years being given new leases of life. The 2001 built MSC SINES R completed its retrofit in Gemak Tuzla in August 2021 The 3,430 teu MSC SINES R is a recent addition to the retrofitted fleet, having undergone an extensive renovation at the Turkish Gemak Tuzla shipyard from June to August 2021. 3 of the ship's 4 cranes were removed, and a hybrid SOx scrubber was installed at the same time. The ship was originally built by