COSCO remains the largest carrier on the Transpacific market, with a 16.5% share of total container volumes shipped on the Far East-US route for the 2024 contract season from May to November 2024. COSCO’s larger capacity share on the US West Coast allowed it to dominate the market compared to their European rivals (CMA CGM and Maersk) who deploys a larger proportion of their capacity on the US East Coast.
ONE and Wan Hai will exchange slots on 2 Far East-US West Coast services that each carrier operates from 1 February 2025. ONE will provide to Wan Hai 1,700 teu per week on the PS6 service that it operates under the Premier Alliance agreement. Wan Hai's slots will cover only Shanghai, Ningbo, Long Beach, Oakland, Shanghai and will exclude the other ports of the full PS6 rotation that calls at Busan, Kwangyang, Incheon, Shanghai, Ningbo, Kwangyang, Busan, Long Beach, Oakland, Busan. Wan Hai wil
Hede Shipping has revised the rotation of its Hede US West Coast Direct Express 2 (HEX2) service to call at Huanghua, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Huanghua from 17 November 2024, with the former call at Ningbo dropped. The HEX2 is the first transpacific service to call at Huanghua in Hebei province in Northeastern China. The HEX2 currently deploys 5 ships of 1,700 to 2,800 teu, with a 6th ship expected to be added as the HEX2 rotation will increase from 35 days to 42 days.
Further turmoil on the transpacific market is expected next year with potential US import tariff hikes dampening the buoyant demand that has seen eastbound container volumes from Asia to the US jump by 14.7% in the first 9 months of 2024. US imports have been particularly strong in the 3rd quarter, with average monthly volumes matching the COVID peaks in 2021-2022. Imports from Vietnam have increased by 26%, with its share of US imports from the Far East reaching 14% compared to just 5% a decad
MSC will add a new call at Haiphong on the Chinook service from 23 October 2024. The revised Chinook rotation will call at Haiphong, Yantian, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, Haiphong and will turn in 8 weeks using 8 ships of 6,400 to 9,600 teu. Zim also takes slots on this service as the ZIM North Pacific (ZNP) service. Revised Chinook port rotation from 23 October 2024
Hede Shipping has launched a second transpacific service branded as the Hede US West Coast Direct Express (HDX) from 11 September 2024. The HDX service turns in 5 weeks and calls at Ningbo, Los Angeles, Ningbo using 5 ships of 1,800 to 2,700 teu starting with the 1,809 teu ADAMASTOS at Ningbo on 11 September. 4 more vessels will be phased in subsequently, including the 1,738 teu HANSA DUBURG and 2,741 teu POSEN and PONA. The HDX will complement the current HDS service which has been renamed as
TS Lines has upgraded its recently launched Asia-US West Coast (AWC) service with a second AWC2 loop with up to 5 ships of 1,700 to 4,300 teu being deployed. The AWC2 will call nominally at Nansha, Xiamen, Los Angeles, Nansha with additional calls at Chiwan, Kaohsiung and Busan provided on an irregular basis. The service started from 13 August 2024 with the 1,787 teu TS BANGKOK, followed by the 1,787 teu TS TOKYO on 25 August. Two larger ships were added in September, the 2,954 teu TS MELBOURNE
MSC will relaunch the Asia-US East Coast Liberty service from 8 August 2024 with a revised rotation calling at Shanghai, Busan, Miami, Savannah, Charleston, Philadelphia, New York, Singapore, Shanghai. The new Liberty service will turn in 12 weeks and will deploy up to 12 ships of 4,000 to 5,000 teu. The first sailing is scheduled at Singapore on 8 August 2024 with the 4,432 teu MSC HOUSTON V. Port rotation of the new MSC Liberty serviceThe Liberty is the first Asia-USEC service to be launche
CMA CGM has restarted the Great Lakes Express (GLX) that will serve as an extra loader service connecting China and South Korea (with irregular schedul calls at Yantian, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao and Busan) to Seattle or Vancouver. 4 sailings are planned currently starting with the 6,732 teu CMA CGM SAN FRANCISCO at Shanghai on 19 July 2024 with a second trip from Ningbo on 24 August, the 2,478 teu CMA CGM ALEXANDRIA at Yantian on 23 July and the 2,954 teu AMALFI BAY at Yantian on 5 September.
TS Lines will join SeaLead on the new America West Coast (AWC) transpacific service connecting Nansha, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Long Beach, Busan, Nansha. The AWC service was launched on 16 June 2024 at Nansha with the 1,809 teu ADAMASTOS by SeaLead, followed by the 5,610 teu SUEZ CANAL on 27 June, 1,809 teu ASTRAOIS on 3 July and the 3,534 teu STAR on 10 July. TS Lines will add 2 ships to the AWC service, starting with the 1,738 teu HANSA FRESENBURG and 2,954 teu TS MUNDRA, to be rep