FESCO ENDS U.S./RUSSIA DIRECT SERVICE, TAKES SPACE ON WESTWOOD

FESCO ENDS U.S./RUSSIA DIRECT SERVICE, TAKES SPACE ON WESTWOOD    Far Eastern Shipping Co., the Russian shipping line commonly known as FESCO, is ending its direct monthly service between Seattle and Vladivostok, Russia, and replacing it with a slot charter-based transshipment service.
   The one-ship FAREX service of FESCO to and from Russia will end in early July, when a slot charter arrangement with Westwood Shipping Lines will start.
   FESCO will take space in both directions on the Westwood ships between Seattle and Busan, serving the Russian Far East ports of Vladivostok and Vostochny via Busan. FESCO will market the service as FESCO Pacific Line (Russia service).
   The carrier’s FAREX service was the only direct service to and from Vladivostok in the transpacific trade according to ComPairData, the global liner shipping database on the Internet at http://www.compairdata.com.
   FESCO will commence taking space on Westwood with the scheduled departure of the “Borg” from Busan on July 1. Westwood’s Service 2 uses three ships of 2,029-TEU and its full rotation is Seattle, Vancouver, Tomakomai, Busan, Osaka, Nagoya, Shimizu, Tokyo and Seattle.
   FESCO’s FAREX service started in November last year, with a sailing frequency of 15 days, switching to a monthly sailing in March/April this year, when one of the two vessels in the service was removed.