MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING STARTS ASIA/U.S. EAST COAST ALL-WATER LINK

MEDITERRANEAN SHIPPING STARTS ASIA/U.S. EAST COAST ALL-WATER LINK    Mediterranean Shipping Co. is starting its first Asia/U.S. East Coast all-water service at the end of May.
   The weekly East Coast service will be an extension of the carrier’s existing Asia/U.S. West Coast “Golden Gate Service,” which calls at Los Angeles.
   Previously, MSC provided a landbridge service to the U.S. East Coast.
   Starting at the end of this month, the service will call at Shanghai, Chiwan, Hong Kong,    Busan, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Manzanillo (Mexico), Panama, Freeport (Bahamas), Savannah and New York.
   “This will allow our shippers to ship direct to New York and Savannah, where there are major distribution centers,” Nicola Arena, president of MSC (USA) Inc., told American Shipper.
   By calling at the hub of Freeport, where other MSC services also call, the carrier will be able to provide transshipment services between Asia and South America and between Asia and South Africa. It will also provide a transshipment service between the U.S. West Coast and Europe via Freeport.
   MSC is reportedly planning to add three containerships to its five-ship transpacific operation to extend the service to the U.S. East Coast.
   The Swiss shipping line’s move towards an East Coast all-water service follows the launch in April by Grand Alliance carriers Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, OOCL and P&O Nedlloyd of a joint weekly East Coast Express service.
   Shipping lines are anxious to widen their East Coast service options partly as an insurance against potential U.S. West Coast strikes this summer.