CKYH slows Asia-Med MD2

   The CKYH alliance of liner shipping companies has added a 10th vessel to its weekly MD2 service between Asia and the Mediterranean, increasing roundtrip voyage time from 63 days to 70 days.
   Transit times eastbound from the Mediterranean to Singapore, Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan have increased by about seven days, as vessels slow steam one week on the return leg between Port Said, Egypt and Singapore.
   The rotation of the MD2 remains Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Yantian, Singapore, Port Said, Ashdod, Genoa, Barcelona, Marseilles, Port Said, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Ningbo.
   The service is currently operated with 10 vessels, five from “K” Line, four from Yang Ming, and one that has yet to be announced, with an average capacity of 8,165 TEUs. Evergreen Line continues to purchase slots on the service.
   The CKYH Alliance comprises China-owned COSCO Container Lines, Hanjin Shipping of South Korea, Taiwan-based Yang Ming, and “K” Line of Japan. In addition to the MD2, the CKYH Alliance carriers and Evergreen separately offer or take slots on a total of nine other services with direct connections between Asia and the Mediterranean. – ComPair Data, Ben Meyer