BWR: UASC, CMA CGM launch new Mid East/ISC-Med loop

Ocean carriers UASC and CMA CGM commenced the IMEX service between the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent and the Mediterranean last week in response to the termination of the MINA, which also called North America in addition to these regions.    Ocean carriers UASC and CMA CGM commenced their jointly operated IMEX service between the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent and the Mediterranean last week.
   UASC said the IMEX was implemented to replace the MINA, but the MINA called North America in addition to the abovementioned regions.
   The IMEX commenced with the Feb. 26 sailing of the Al Rawdah from Khor Fakkan, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting. The loop has a rotation of Khor Fakkan, Dubai, Karachi, Mundra, Mumbai (Nhava Sheva), Jeddah, Port Said, La Spezia, Genoa, Marseilles-Fos (Fos), Barcelona, Valencia, Tangiers, Genoa, Malta, Port Said, Jeddah and Khor Fakkan.
   A total of seven vessels with an average capacity of 6,816 TEUs operate on the IMEX. UASC provides five vessels, while CMA CGM provides the other two. Yang Ming, Hanjin, COSCO, CSCL, Marguisa and CMA CGM’s subsidiary line ANL purchase slots on the loop. However, COSCO omits the calls at Tangiers and Malta, while Marguisa only purchases slots from Khor Fakkan and Dubai to Valencia, according to BlueWater Reporting.
   The MINA service, jointly operated by UASC, CMA CGM, Hanjin and CSCL, ended with the Feb. 19 sailing of the Buxcoast from Khor Fakkan, according to BlueWater Reporting.
   The loop’s rotation was Khor Fakkan, Dubai, Karachi, Mumbai (Nhava Sheva), Mundra, Jeddah, Port Said, La Spezia, Leghorn, Genoa, La Spezia, Marseilles-Fos (Fos), Barcelona, Valencia, Algeciras, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Miami, Algeciras, Valencia, Barcelona, Leghorn, Genoa, Malta, Port Said, Jeddah and Khor Fakkan.
   A total of 12 vessels with an average capacity on 6,799 TEUs operated on the MINA. Yang Ming, COSCO, Marguisa and ANL purchased slots on the loop. However, Yang Ming omitted Khor Fakkan; COSCO omitted North America and Malta; and Marguisa only purchased slots from Khor Fakkan and Dubai to Algeciras, according to BlueWater Reporting.
   Although the MINA ended, UASC will also begin purchasing slots on a loop that operates on the same trades as the MINA, the joint CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, NYK and OOCL INDAMEX/IEX. UASC will join with the March 4 sailing of the Maipo from Karachi, dubbing it the INAS.
   The loop has a rotation of Karachi, Mumbai (Nhava Sheva), Mundra, Damietta, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Charleston, Port Said, Jeddah and Karachi.
   Overall, the termination of the MINA had a significant impact on weekly deployed capacity in the trade between the Mediterranean and North America, and the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent and North America, as illustrated in the adjacent chart.
   With the termination of the MINA, weekly deployed capacity from the Mediterranean to North America declined 8.9 percent, from 76,698 TEUs to 69,899 TEUs, while weekly deployed capacity from North America to the Mediterranean fell 10.6 percent, from 64,267 TEUs to 57,468 TEUs.
   These figures are based off of average vessel size on services participating on each trade and do not account for skipped sailings.
   In addition, weekly deployed capacity from the Middle East/Indian Subcontinent to North America declined 11.3 percent, from 60,218 TEUs to 53,419 TEUs, while weekly deployed capacity from North America to the Middle East/Indian subcontinent fell 11.8 percent, from 57,702 TEUs to 50,903 TEUs.
   However, just next week, CMA CGM’s PEX3 will become an eastbound around-the-world service, and will include direct connections from the East Coast of North America to the outer Mediterranean in Tangiers. Effective March 9 in Houston with the CMA CGM Chateau D’If  (voyage 062PGW), the new rotation will be Houston, Mobile, Miami, Jacksonville, Charleston, Tangiers, Singapore, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Busan, Manzanillo (Panama) and Houston.