MED SHIPPING, HYUNDAI EXTEND AND REVISE JOINT ATLANTIC SERVICE

   Hyundai Merchant Marine has extended its joint service agreement with Mediterranean Shipping Co. on the transatlantic route through the end of 2000.
   The transatlantic carriers, who operate two joint weekly container
services — U.S. North Atlantic/northern Europe and U.S. South
Atlantic/Gulf/northern Europe — will revised both services, effective in
January.
   The new North Atlantic rotation will eliminate the previous Hamburg
call, creating the following port rotation: Boston, New York, Baltimore,
Norfolk, New York, Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, Le Havre and Boston. This loop will continue to employ four ships.
   The Hamburg call will be picked up by the carriers’ South Atlantic/Gulf service, which will then use six ships instead of the five.     The rotation of the service will be Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, New Orleans, Freeport (Bahamas), Charleston, Antwerp, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Felixstowe, Charleston, Freeport, Veracruz, Altamira and Houston again.
   Hyundai said that adding the sixth ship will improve schedule integrity.
   Atlantic Container Line takes slots on the two Med Shipping/Hyundai
services. Neither ACL nor Hyundai market the Mexican ports of call of the joint service.
   The extension of the Med Shipping/Hyundai agreement follows reports that Hyundai had considered switching from its cooperation with Med Shipping to a joint Atlantic service with APL and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. APL, MOL and Hyundai are fellow members of the New World Alliance.