Ocean carriers add Italy calls to joint Med-West Africa loop

Vessel operators Marguisa, Maersk Line, Arkas Line and ZIM, along with slot takers CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd, will add calls to La Spezia and Genoa to their joint WAS service between the Mediterranean and West Africa.    Ocean carriers Marguisa, Maersk Line, Arkas Line and ZIM will add calls to La Spezia and Genoa in Italy and drop a call at Bata, Kenya on their joint WAS service between the Mediterranean and West Africa, Hapag-Lloyd said in a customer advisory.
   According to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting, Hapag-Lloyd, which refers to the WAS as the Africa Mediterranean Express (WMX), purchases slots on the loop, along with CMA CGM.
   The WAS operates with six vessels, two each from Marquisa and Maersk and one each from Arkas and ZIM, with an average capacity of 2,555 TEUs. The service has a current port rotation of Valencia, Tarragona, Algeciras, Tangier, Dakar, Lagos, Bata, Malabo, Tema, Takoradi, Abidjan and Valencia.
   Following the changes, scheduled to commence at the end of the month, the WAS will have a revised rotation of La Spezia, Genoa, Tarragona, Valencia, Algeciras, Tangier, Dakar, Lagos, Tema, Takoradi, Abidjan and La Spezia.