ASIA/EUROPE CONFERENCE MEMBERSHIP CHANGES

ASIA/EUROPE CONFERENCE MEMBERSHIP CHANGES    Norasia, a container shipping affiliate of Chile’s Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, has held discussions with the Far Eastern Freight Conference about joining the carrier group.
   For many years, Norasia has operated an Asia/Europe service as a non-conference carrier.
   By contrast, the National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia has left the Far Eastern Freight Conference. The Saudi Arabian carrier is terminating its Asia/Europe container service and will reportedly withdraw from the container shipping market to focus on roll-on/roll-off operations.
   Rod Riseborough, the chief executive of the Far Eastern Freight Conference, said that Evergreen Line has not approached the conference about joining, despite its recent announcement of a slot-exchange agreement with conference member CMA CGM.
   Conference carriers are allowed to exchange space with non-conference lines, Riseborough said.