Hapag-Lloyd keeping Suez link weekly

Hapag-Lloyd keeping Suez link weekly    Hapag-Lloyd will replace the two vessels CMA CGM is withdrawing from the joint North Europe via Suez direct to Australia/New Zealand service to maintain a weekly sailing frequency.
   From the end of April, Hapag-Lloyd will independently operate the service, which it markets as ANS, by using 12 ships of about 2,500 TEUs with 300 reefer plugs.
   The rotation of the ANS is Tilbury, Hamburg, Rotterdam, La Spezia, Damietta, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Auckland, Napier, Port Chalmers, Melbourne, Adelaide, Singapore, Colombo, Damietta, La Spezia and Tilbury again. The transit time from Rotterdam to Melbourne is 28 days.
   “We will be introducing two additional units and continuing to operate the service with 12 ships. With this direct service, we offer the best transit times on this route,” said Anthony Firmin, Hapag-Lloyd’s managing director, ship and container management.
   CMA CGM’s withdrawal was prompted by the start of its own fortnightly NEMO service calling at 26 ports en route from North Europe and the Mediterranean to the Middle East, Indian Ocean, Australasia, South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The service will be upgraded to weekly in May. Partners on the NEMO include CMA CGM subsidiaries Delmas and ANL Container Line together with Germany’s Deutsche Afrika Linien.
   Hapag-Lloyd is withdrawing two ships from the joint Panama Direct service calling at U.S. East Coast ports between Europe and Australasia. CMA CGM will continue the service on a fortnightly basis operating five vessels with another coming from Marfret.