NYK, CSAV end Asia/Americas VSA

NYK, CSAV end Asia/Americas VSA    NYK Line and Compania Sud Americana de Vapores will end their nine-year-old Asia Andes Express (Andex) vessel-sharing agreement in the next few weeks to provide competing services between the Far East and the West coasts of Mexico and South America.
   NYK said that its will operate an independent Asia Latin Express service, starting from Busan eastbound on Jan. 26. The new weekly link will use 10 vessels, including four 2,200-TEU vessels currently in service and another six 1,600-TEU ships. The “Alex” service will have a rotation of Tokyo, Busan, Shanghai, Keelung, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Manzanillo (Mexico), Balboa, Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Callao, Iquique, San Antonio, Callao, Balboa, Manzanillo and Tokyo.
   The details of the future service of Compania Sud Americana de Vapores in the same trade are not known.
   NYK and Compania Sud Americana de Vapores will compete against new entrant Mediterranean Shipping Co., which has just started a 10-ship service calling at the ports of Hong Kong, Chiwan, Shanghai, Busan, Manzanillo (Mexico), Buenaventura, San Antonio and San Vicente, Manzanillo, Long Beach and Hong Kong.
   In a related development, NYK said that it will amend its Margarita Express (Marex) service calling at ports of Asia, Central America and Hawaii. The revised service “will consolidate ports of call to Hawaii, Mexico and Central America (up to Costa Rica),” NYK said.