Carriers introduce Asia/WCSA services

Carriers introduce Asia/WCSA services    A quartet of ocean carriers will cooperate on a new service between the Far East and the West Coast of South America starting Sept. 13.
   In addition, CSAV Group said it has introduced a third weekly string linking Asia with Mexico, Central America and West Coast of South America.
   Hanjin Shipping, China Shipping, CMA CGM and Hyundai Merchant Marine will start a 10-ship loop with a rotation of Shekou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Manzanillo, Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Callao, Iquique, Valparaiso, San Vicente, Manzanillo, Busan and Shekou.
   Hanjin and China Shipping will contribute four vessels each to the service, while CMA CGM and Hyundai will add one each. Average vessel capacity will be 2,350 to 2,550 TEUs, with 300 reefer plugs.
   Korea-based lines Hanjin and Hyundai don't already offer service between Asia and the West Coast of South America, according to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data.
   CMA CGM and China Shipping operate a 12-ship loop on the same trade, the ACSA service, with CMA CGM providing nine ships and China Shipping three. The rotation for that service is Chiwan, Hong Kong, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Manzanillo, Puerto Quetzal, Acajutla, Corinto, Buenaventura, Callao, San Antonio, San Vicente, Callao, Buenaventura, Puerto Caldera, Puerto Quetzal, Manzanillo, Yokohama and Chiwan.
   CMA CGM told AmericanShipper.com Monday the ACSA service will remain, and the French line will brand the new service ACSA 2 (Hanjin is calling it the ALW service). CMA CGM said the new service allows direct calls in Guayaquil, Iquique and Valparaiso instead of via transshipment.
   As of Sunday, there were 11,397 TEUs of weekly operated capacity from Asia to the West Coast of South America, according to ComPair Data World Liner Supply Analytics. An introduction of roughly 2,000 TEUs of weekly capacity on the new four-carrier service would add 15 percent to 20 percent capacity on the eastbound trade.
   Meanwhile, CSAV, with the addition of ANDEX Sling 3, offers direct sailings from all North China major ports to all Mexico, Central America and West Coast of South America main ports.
   ANDEX Sling 3 will deploy seven vessels with capacity ranging from 2,500 to 3,100 TEUs. The first sailing of this new sling is scheduled in Dalian on Aug. 23 with the deployment of Mate.
   Rotation is Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Busan, Manzanillo, Lazaro Cardenas, Dalian, with connecting service in Lazaro Cardenas to ports on the West Coast of Central and South America.