MSC, Hapag-Lloyd shake up Europe-ECSA trade

Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Hapag-Lloyd are scheduled to launch a new loop between Europe and the East Coast of South America at the end of September that will deploy nine vessels with an average capacity of 9,000 TEUs.    Ocean carriers Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) and Hapag-Lloyd are launching a joint service between North Europe and South America’s East Coast, according to the companies.
   The service will commence operations Sept. 27, departing from Rotterdam, the carriers said.
   MSC is dubbing it the NWC/SAEC, while Hapag-Lloyd is calling it the ECX.
   The service will have a rotation of Rotterdam, London Gateway, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Sines, Rio Sepetiba, Santos, Navegantes, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio Grande, Navegantes, Paranagua, Santos, Rio Sepetiba, Salvador, Pecem and Rotterdam.
   Nine vessels with an average capacity of around 9,000 TEUs and 1,325 reefer plugs will be deployed on the service, with MSC providing five of the vessels and Hapag-Lloyd supplying four vessels, according to Hapag-Lloyd.
   As a result of this new service, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd will be consolidating their existing operations on the trade, combining their volumes from a current loop they jointly operate, and coming off of a Hamburg Süd operated service, which they both currently purchase slots on, a Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson told American Shipper.
   MSC and Hapag-Lloyd’s jointly operated service that will be consolidated into the upcoming service is referred to as the NWC TO SAEC – STRING I by MSC and the BLX by Hapag-Lloyd.
   Ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting shows the loop deploys seven vessels averaging 5,720 TEUs and has a rotation of Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, Lisbon, Sines, Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Paranagua, Navegantes, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Pecem and Antwerp. MSC provides five vessels and Hapag-Lloyd supplies the remaining two vessels.
   The Hamburg Süd operated loop that both MSC and Hapag-Lloyd will stop purchasing slots on is referred to as the NWC TO SAEC – STRING II by MSC and the BPX by Hapag-Lloyd. BlueWater Reporting shows Hamburg Süd deploys eight vessels averaging 9,669 TEUs on the loop, which has a rotation of Rotterdam, London Gateway, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Santos, Paranagua, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Rio Grande, Porto Itapoa, Paranagua, Santos, Tanger and Rotterdam.
   The Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson said Hamburg Süd will still continue the service, despite MSC and Hapag-Lloyd ceasing their slot purchase deal on the service.