TMM leaves Ampac vessel-sharing group

TMM leaves Ampac vessel-sharing group    TMM Lines will leave the “Ampac” transpacific and inter-Americas space-sharing agreement in March, prompting changes to the operation of its 10-ship service.
   TMM Lines and partners Compania Chilena de Navegacion Interoceanica, Hamburg Sud and Maruba S.C.A. have notified the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission of the withdrawal of TMM from the “Ampac Cooperative Working Agreement.”
   They also said that a proposed agreement modification will: add Japan to the geographic scope of the agreement, change the provision of vessels due to TMM’s departure, delete certain restrictions on the use of space, add “restrictions on competing services,” establish a new
minimum duration for the revised agreement, and restate the agreement.
   Columbus Line, a subsidiary of Hamburg Sud, will no longer operate as part of the agreement under its name, but will trade under the name of its parent company instead.
   The Ampac vessel-sharing agreement operates a long, weekly, multi-trade service connecting Asia and the West Coasts of Canada, the U.S., Mexico, Central America and South America.
   At the time of writing, it could not be confirmed whether Lykes Lines, a sister company of TMM within the CP Ships group, would continue to participate in the Ampac service.