MSC to use 8,000-TEU ships on transatlantic

MSC to use 8,000-TEU ships on transatlantic    Mediterranean Shipping Co.'s infusion of massive containerships has the liner carrier cascading 8,000-TEU vessels into the transatlantic trade, according to a report Monday by maritime news service Alphaliner.
   The report said MSC will in April rotate two 8,000-TEU vessels into its North Europe/U.S. Gulf service, which has used 6,700-TEU vessels, the biggest in the trade. The service, according to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data, has a rotation of Antwerp, Felixstowe, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, Charleston, Savannah, Freeport, Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, New Orleans, Freeport, Savannah, Charleston and Antwerp.
   The 8,000-TEU vessels were freed up from serving the Asia/South Africa trade. MSC has taken delivery of a slew of 12,500-TEU vessels in recent months (and is due to receive another dozen by the end of 2011) that have forced it to cascade 8,000-TEU vessels into trades that have never before accommodated such large ships.