ZIM expands Asia-ECSA offerings

The Israeli ocean carrier introduced a second weekly service between Asia and the East Coast of South America, expanding its port coverage in the trade.    Israeli liner company ZIM will launch a new direct weekly service between Asia and the East Coast of South America, the ocean carrier’s second in the trade. ZIM will operate the new service, called Asia-East Coast Brazil (AEC), in collaboration with the SSA group.
   The AEC will commence May 9 from Pusan with a full port rotation of Pusan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Navegantes, Paranagua, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Pusan.
   “The new service provides direct connection to Korea, as well as expanding ECSA port coverage by adding Rio de Janeiro and Navagantes in Brazil,” ZIM said in a statement. The carrier did not specify the number and size of ships to be deployed in its announcement of the new loop.
   According to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting, ZIM currently offers one other service with direct connections between Asia and the East Coast of South America. The carrier’s joint ASE string with Evergreen Line, COSCO and CMA CGM is operated with 12 vessels with an average capacity of 8,590 TEUs.
   The full port rotation of the ASE is Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Santos, Parahagua, Montevideo, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio Grande, Paranagua, Santos, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Hapag-Loyd also takes slots on the loop, along with CMA CGM subsidiary Delmas.
   ZIM also provides vessels on two direct weekly services between Asia and the West Coast of South America. The carrier’s joint WSA2/ASA/WS2 loop with Wan Hai, Pacific International Line and COSCO deploys 10 vessels with an average capacity of 4,567 TEUs, and its WSA service with COSCO is operated with 10 vessels with an average capacity of 5,360 TEUs.