MSC ADDS SECOND ASIA/EUROPE/MED SERVICE, INCREASES CAPACITY

MSC ADDS SECOND ASIA/EUROPE/MED SERVICE, INCREASES CAPACITY    Geneva based-Mediterranean Shipping Co. has added capacity in the Asia/north Europe/Mediterranean container trade by adding a weekly Asia/Mediterranean service and focusing its existing weekly “Silk” service on north European ports.
   The new direct Asia/Mediterranean “Dragon Express” service, MSC’s second loop on the Asia/north Europe/Mediterranean route, has been started with eight ships of about 3,000 TEUs. The new service will add approximately 150,000 TEUs in annual one-way capacity to the trade.
   The “Silk” service has been renamed “Silk Express” and has dropped previous Mediterranean calls at Valencia, La Spezia and Piraeus eastbound. Calls at Shanghai and Hong Kong eastbound have also been dropped in the Far East, while calls at Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Ningbo have been added to the service.
   The revamped “Silk Express” service uses 10 ships of 6,700 TEUs and will now call at Le Havre, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, Dubai, Singapore, Chiwan, Qingdao, Xingang, Busan, Ningbo, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Piraeus, Le Havre, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe.
   The new “Dragon Express” service calls at Valencia, Barcelona, Fos, La Spezia, Dubai, Singapore, Chiwan, Shanghai, Xiamen, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Valencia, Barcelona, Fos and La Spezia.
   MSC operates without vessel-sharing agreement partners on the Asia/north Europe/Mediterranean route.