CHINA SHIPPING STARTS NEW U.S./MED SERVICE

CHINA SHIPPING STARTS NEW U.S./MED SERVICE    Expansion-minded China Shipping Container Lines has started its previously announced fortnightly U.S./Mediterranean service.
   The new service has a port rotation of New York, Norfolk, Naples, Leghorn, Genoa, Fos, Valencia, New York and Norfolk. It uses two 1,700-TEU ships that were formerly employed on the carrier’s Asia/Mediterranean service.
   According to ComPairData, the global liner shipping database on the Internet, the service’s 12-day transit time from New York to Naples is the fastest available in this market.
   In June, the new fortnightly service will be upgraded to a weekly frequency and will be merged with an existing Mediterranean/Suez/Asia service, creating a U.S. East Coast/Mediterranean/Asia/Mediterranean/U.S.
East Coast pendulum service, expected to employ 10 vessels of about 2,000-TEU capacity.