ZIM ADDS NEW SHIPS, CAPACITY ON ASIA/U.S./MED LINK

ZIM ADDS NEW SHIPS, CAPACITY ON ASIA/U.S./MED LINK    Zim Israel Navigation will introduce six new 4,800-TEU Panamax-sized vessels this year in its Asia/North America/Mediterranean/North America/Asia ZCS service, replacing smaller vessels of about 3,200 TEUs.
   The ZCS service is Zim’s main east/west service, and uses 15 ships with a speed of 21 knots. The new 4,800-TEU, built by the Hyundai shipyard in Korea, will have a speed of 24 knots.
   The “Zim Mediterranean,” the first larger vessel in the new series, is expected to join the ZCS service at the end of February. The service calls at Halifax, Nova Scotia; New York; Savannah; Kingston, Jamaica; Balboa, Panama; Los Angeles; Shekou; Hong Kong; Keelung; Busan; Osaka; Yokohama; Los Angeles; Balboa; Kingston; Savannah; New York; Halifax; Barcelona; Haifa; Piraeus; Leghorn; Barcelona; and Halifax.
   China Shipping Container Lines takes space on the transpacific leg of the ZCS service, operated by Zim.
   “With the introduction of the six new vessels into ZCS, it will be possible to operate this service with 14 instead of 15 vessels, with only slight changes in the port rotation,” said Dan Nadler, spokesman for Zim. “This is presently under study and results will be known towards the last months of the year,” he added.
   The 3,200-TEU vessels moving out of the ZCS will be switched to the carrier’s Asia Med Pacific service, starting in February. The Asia Med Pacific currently utilizes smaller vessels of about 2,700-TEU capacity, and has a rotation of Mediterranean, Asia, Pacific Northwest, Asia and the Mediterranean.