NEW WORLD ALLIANCE PLANS TO CUT ASIA/EUROPE SERVICES

NEW WORLD ALLIANCE PLANS TO CUT ASIA/EUROPE SERVICES    New World Alliance carriers APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine and MOL are considering a plan to terminate a fortnightly Asia/northern Europe service in February and a weekly Asia/Mediterranean service in March.
   The changes, understood to be very likely, would cut from four to two the number of Asia/Europe services operated by the New World Alliance, as carriers report losses and overcapacity on this trade route.
   An executive at MOL in Tokyo said that the decisions to end the two services are still under study. The Asia/Mediterranean direct service will likely be replaced by a transshipment service using the vessels of the Japan Express and Asia Express services that sail between Asia and northern Europe via the Mediterranean.
   The fortnightly Northern China Express service has used four vessels and called at Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Hamburg, Le Havre, Southampton, Singapore, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Ningbo and Shanghai.
   The Asia/Mediterranean service has employed eight vessels, with a rotation of Genoa, Barcelona, Fos, Port Said, Jeddah, Singapore, Hong Kong, Keelung, Busan, Kobe, Nagoya, Yokohama, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Port Said, Genoa, Barcelona and Fos.
   The New World Alliance carriers are also considering where to phase in new 6,200-TEU ships due to be delivered to MOL this year, and new 5,500-TEU ships that will join the fleet of APL.