MSC slashes transit times on Europe-U.S. East Coast trade

Faster transit times on the trade will be achieved on Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s revised MedUSEC and MEDGULF loops starting in March, according to the Geneva, Switzerland-based ocean carrier.    Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) is implementing faster transit times on two services between continental Europe and U.S. East Coast ports, the company said.
   Starting in March, MSC’s new MedUSEC service is expected to reach New York from the transshipment hub of Sines in seven days. “Improvements to the MSC service will cut as much as four days from the time taken to reach key U.S. east coast ports, such as Baltimore, Norfolk, Savannah and Charleston,” MSC said.
   The new rotation, which removes calls at La Spezia and Boston, and adds a new call at Tangiers, is Gioia Tauro, Naples, Leghorn, Genoa, Valencia, Algeciras, Sines, New York, Baltimore, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Tangiers, Valencia and Gioia Tauro.
   MSC’s MEDGULF service will also provide faster access to the U.S., and will add a call at Algeciras on the westbound leg while adding calls at Miami and Algeciras on the eastbound leg.
   Transit times from Sines to the U.S. East Coast on the MEDGULF currently totals 10 days, while transit times from the U.S. East coast back to Sines also stands at 10 days, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting.
   The new port rotation for the MEDGULF will be Gioia Tauro, Naples, La Spezia, Barcelona, Valencia, Algeciras, Sines, Freeport (Bahamas), Port Everglades, Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, New Orleans, Miami, Freeport (Bahamas), Sines, Algeciras, Barcelona and Gioia Tauro.