CSAV, NORASIA MAKE NEW SLOT-EXCHANGE DEAL WITH UNITED ALLIANCE

CSAV, NORASIA MAKE NEW SLOT-EXCHANGE DEAL WITH UNITED ALLIANCE    The Chilean shipping group Compania Sud Americana de Vapores and its Swiss-based subsidiary Norasia Container Lines are extending to the transpacific and Asia/Europe liner trades their cooperation with United Alliance carriers Hanjin Shipping, Senator Lines and Cho Yang .
   The cooperation agreement includes a slot-exchange agreement between the United Alliance’s Asia/Mediterranean/U.S. East Coast AMA service and the Asia/Mediterranean leg of the Norasia/CMA CGM MEX/TPX service.
   From February, the CSAV/Norasia group will have 220 TEU slots a week on the AMA service of the United Alliance, which provides a direct Asia/U.S. East Coast all-water service via Suez and also includes a Mediterranean/U.S. leg.
   The deal will enable Norasia to enter the Mediterranean/ U.S. trade and extend its global service coverage.
   The AMA weekly service has a rotation of Busan, Kaoshiung, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Gioia Tauro, La Spezia, Fos, Valencia, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Valencia, La Spezia, Gioia Tauro, Jeddah, Khor Fakkan, Singapore, Busan, Kaoshiung and Hong Kong.
   In return, Senator and its partners within the United Alliance will have 220 slots on the Asia/Mediterranean and Mediterranean/Asia legs of the Mediterranean/Asia/U.S. West Coast MEX/TPX service of Norasia and partners.
   The service calls at Busan, Keelung, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Singapore, Port Kelang, Colombo, Malta, Naples, Genoa, Fos, Barcelona, Malta, Damietta, Port Kelang, Singapore, Yantian, Hong Kong and Keelung, before proceeding to the U.S.
   The carriers of the United Alliance will not have space on the transpacific leg of this service.
   In a related development, CSAV and Norasia will take space on both the transpacific and transatlantic legs of the United Alliance carriers’ AWP “pendulum” service. This 13-ship weekly service has a rotation of U.S. East Coast/ Panama/West Coast of North America/Asia/West Coast of North America/ Panama/U.S. East Coast/northern Europe/U.S. East Coast.
   From February, subject to regulatory approval, the CSAV group will take 200 TEUs a week on the transpacific leg of the service and 50 TEUs a week on its transatlantic portion.
   The AWP pendulum service calls at New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Manzanillo (Panama), Manzanillo (Mexico), Long Beach, Busan, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Busan, Oakland, Manazanillo (Mexico), Manzanillo (Panama), Savannah, Norfolk, New York, Felixstowe, Bremenhaven, Rotterdam, Le Havre and New York.
   The deals will be seen as a tightening of the cooperation between CSAV and Norasia, who do not operate within a global alliance, and the United Alliance carriers Hanjin, Senator and Cho Yang. Norasia started a slot-charter agreement with the United Alliance in the transatlantic trade in May, shortly after CSAV acquired Norasia and announced a strategy of becoming a global carrier.