New World starts new transatlantic loop

   The New World Alliance carriers APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine, and MOL said Thursday they will launch a new transatlantic service at the end of February.
   The service will have a rotation of Manzanillo (Panama), Charleston, New York, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Felixstowe, New York, Charleston, and Manzanillo. It will be operated with five high-reefer capacity 3,200-TEU vessels, three from APL and one each from Hyundai and MOL.
   The service starts from Rotterdam on Feb. 29.
   According to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data, the New World carriers operate only one other link between the U.S. East Coast and Northern Europe. The lines’ 13-ship APX service, operated with APL and MOL vessels, serves the transatlantic in both directions before continuing on to become a transpacific service.
   For comparison, the Grand Alliance operates four such transatlantic services and the CKYH Alliance one. — Eric Johnson