Port of Zeebrugge loses major container service

The Ocean3 Alliance’s AEC1/AEX1/FAL8 service, which dropped a call at Zeebrugge, had the largest average vessel capacity of all container services calling the port, according to data from BlueWater Reporting.    The Ocean3 Alliance, comprised of ocean carriers UASC, CSCL and CMA CGM, dropped a call at Zeebrugge on one of its Asia-North Europe loops, referred to as the AEC1 by UASC, AEX1 by CSCL and FAL8 by CMA CGM.
   The service will drop Zeebrugge following the March 28 sailing of the CSCL Atlantic Ocean from Qingdao, which CMA CGM said will sail from Zeebrugge May 7.
   The revised port rotation of the AEC1/AEX1/FAL8 is now Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Yantian, Singapore, Port Kelang, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Port Kelang, Yantian and Qingdao. However, only CSCL and slot purchaser COSCO currently offer service to Singapore on the loop.
   In addition to COSCO, other slot purchasers on the loop include “K” Line; Yang Ming; Hanjin; Evergreen Line; Hamburg Sud and subsidiary line Alianca; and CMA CGM’s subsidiary lines ANL and US Lines, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting.
   Although Zeebrugge was removed from the AEC1/AEX1/FAL8, the service continues to operate with 11 vessels, which have an average capacity of 18,920 TEUs.
   The Port of Zeebrugge will be significantly impacted by the AEC1/AEX1/FAL8’s discontinuation at its port. According to data from BlueWater Reporting’s Port Dashboard tool, the loop had the largest average vessel capacity of all fully cellular container services calling the Belgian port.
   One of the two fully cellular service that continue to call Zeebrugge is the Ocean3 Alliance’s AEC2/AEX3/FAL1, which has an average vessel capacity of 16,231 TEUs and operates between North Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Asia, the Mediterranean and back to North Europe.
   In addition, CMA CGM’s NEFWI loop calls the port. The NEFWI is dedicated to the North Europe-Caribbean trade and has an average vessel capacity of 2,695 TEUs.
   In terms of liner services, the port is also frequented by one reefer service and 10 services that operate with roll-on/roll-off vessels and/or pure car and truck carriers.