5 carriers start Asia/South America loop

5 carriers start Asia/South America loop    A coalition of five container lines said Thursday they will jump into the Asia/East Coast South America trade beginning in April.
   Hanjin Shipping, Zim, Compania Chilena de Navegacion Interoceanica (CCNI), Wan Hai and Hapag-Lloyd said the service will connect Korea, central and southern China, Singapore, South Africa, Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, sailing around the tip of Africa rather through the Suez or Panama canals.
   The service will be operated with 11 4,200-TEU vessels — Hanjin and Zim each provide three, CCNI and Wan Hai with two each, and one from Hapag-Lloyd — suggesting a roughly 77-day total transit time if the service is offered weekly.
   None of the lines currently operate a service on the trade, according to American Shipper research affiliate ComPair Data.
   Six services are in operation between the Far East and the East Coast of South America:
   ' COSCO and Evergreen's joint ESA service
   ' CSAV and Libra-Montemar's joint ASAX service
   ' CMA CGM and China Shipping's joint SEAS service
   ' Hamburg S'd and Alianca's joint ASAS service, on which Maersk Line and Safmarine charter slots
   ' NYK Line, PIL and 'K' Line's joint NHX service, on which Hyundai charters space
   ' MOL's CSW service between Southeast Asia and the east coast of South America
   All the above services use about 3,500- to 4,200-TEU vessels, except for the Hamburg S'd-led ASAS service, which uses 5,500-TEU vessels. All five also sail via South Africa. Together, they provide about 24,000 TEUs of aggregate capacity per week, including about 3,500 reefer plugs.