MSC alters Europe-Med service

The Europe-Mediterranean service will change its port rotation and offer feeder connections via Beirut to two Syrian ports, according to ocean carrier MSC.    Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) will adjust its Levante Express service at the end of April, the ocean carrier said Monday.
   The Levante Express’ current port rotation is Felixstowe, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Valencia, Limassol, Alexandria, Mersin, Iskenderun, La Spezia and Felixstowe.
   The loop will add calls to Beirut and Naples, while omitting calls to Limassol, resulting in a revised port rotation of Felixstowe, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Valencia, Beirut, Alexandria, Mersin, Iskenderun, Naples, La Spezia and Felixstowe.
   The first southbound sailing will be April 27 with the Katherine.
   Scheduled feeder connections via Beirut will be offered to the Syrian ports of Lattakia and Tartous.
   According to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting, the current Levant Express operates with five vessels with an average capacity of 6,911 TEUs and a total rotation time of 36 days round.
   Ocean carriers WEC and ZIM are current slot-purchasers, with their carrier service designation codes being Levante Express and NE3, respectively.
   According to their online scheduling tools, ZIM will switch the NE3 service over to the Aegean Service/EEX2 at the end of April, which Hapag-Lloyd purchases slots on. However, WEC will continue to purchase slots on the revised Levante Express later this month.