ASIA/AUSTRALIA CONSORTIUM ENDS JOINT SERVICE

ASIA/AUSTRALIA CONSORTIUM ENDS JOINT SERVICE    The “ASA” consortium of Asia/Australia carriers, which consists of Evergreen, Hanjin Shipping, Lloyd Triestino and Regional Container Lines, will restructure and terminate one of its two weekly services in April.
   As announced previously, Evergreen will withdraw from the consortium to cooperate with China Ocean Shipping Co. in the Asia/Australia trade, with effect from April. Evergreen and COSCO will run two Asia/Australia services — the North Asia Express service, and the Sino-Australia service.
   The three remaining carriers of the ASA consortium will continue to operate their weekly Singapore/Australia service, but they will end their North Asia/Australia loop. Instead Hanjin and Regional Container Lines will charter space on replacement services being introduced by Evergreen and COSCO.
   Evergreen will take slots on the Singapore/Australia loop of the ASA consortium.
   A spokesman for Lloyd Triestino said that the carrier uses its Asia/Australia service primarily to feed cargoes to and from Australia, via Singapore.