MSC cuts Asia/Europe weekly capacity

MSC cuts Asia/Europe weekly capacity MSC said late last week it is withdrawing 2,000 TEUs of weekly capacity between Asia and the Europe-Mediterranean by suspending its Tiger service and reshuffling four other services.
   The ocean carrier said the changes were made 'in a response to the deteriorating trading environment. The changes to the port rotation of these services will allow optimum port coverage from Asia to all the key markets in Europe and the Mediterranean, insuring excellent transit times via new increase feeder set up in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.'
   The Tiger service employed nine vessels of 6,500-TEU capacities plying the Far East/Europe trade. To compensate for its withdrawal, port rotations on the other services — the Phoenix, Jade, Silk and Dragon — were augmented.
   The Phoenix, operating 10 6,500-TEU vessels, will now have a port rotation of Qingdao, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Nansha, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jeddah, Suez Canal, Beirut, Istanbul, Trieste, Gioia Tauro, Suez Canal, Jeddah, Singapore and Qingdao.
   The Jade, operating nine ships of 9,500 to 11,500 TEUs capacities, will now call Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Yantai, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Suez Canal, Gioia Tauro (imports), Valencia, Gioia Tauro (exports), Suez Canal, Salalah, Singapore and Busan.
   The Silk, operating 10 9,500-TEU ships, will have a rotation of Xingang, Ninbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Yantai, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Salalah, Suez Canal, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Suez Canal, Jebel Ali, Singapore and Hong Kong.
   The Dragon, operating 11 8,500-TEU ships, will have a port rotation of Dalian, Xingang, Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Salalah, Suez Canal, Gioia Tauro, Naples, La Spezia, Fos, Barcelona, Valencia, Suez Canal, Jeddah, Salalah, Jeebl Ali, Singapore, Chiwan, Hong Kong and Dalian.
   The carrier's other Far East/Asia service, the Lion, will remain unchanged.