MSC changes Asia/Europe loops? eastbound legs

MSC changes Asia/Europe loopsÆ eastbound legs    Mediterranean Shipping Co. is realigning its network of four Asia/Europe services, the line said in a customer notice Thursday.
   The changes affect the eastbound rotations of MSC's standalone Silk, Lion, Dragon and Tiger services, with the revisions aimed at improving transit times at key ports by up to seven days, the line said.
   The Silk's eastbound rotation will change March 31, with a revised rotation of Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Yantian, Singapore, Antwerp, Felixstowe, Hamburg, Bremenhaven and Rotterdam. According to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data, the revised rotation eliminates a call at Xingang in Asia and a Med stop in Valencia, while calls in Bremerhaven and Hamburg are new. Also, the first call in Europe switches to Antwerp from Felixstowe. The service operates with 11 vessels with an average capacity of 13,442 TEUs.
   The Lion service rotation will change March 27, with a revised eastbound rotation of Dalian, Xingang, Busan, Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Yantian, Le Havre, Hamburg and Bremenhaven. Calls at Singapore, Sines and Antwerp will be dropped. The service operates with 11 vessels averaging 13,083 TEUs.
   The Dragon service rotation will change April 1, with a revised eastbound rotation of Dalian, Xingang, Busan, Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Gioia Tauro, Valencia, Barcelona, La Spezia and Marseilles Fos. Calls at Fuzhou are Naples deleted, while the order of Med port calls changes (Marseilles was previously called before Valencia and Barcelona). The service operates with 12 vessels averaging 10,919 TEUs.
   The Tiger service rotation will also change April 1, with a revised eastbound rotation of Qingdao, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Port Said, Beirut, Piraeus and Istanbul. Calls at Jeddah and Gioia Tauro are dropped while the call at Port Said is new. The service operates with 10 vessels averaging 8,979 TEUs.