Ocean carriers launch new Asia-ISC loop

Wan Hai, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), Interasia Lines (IAL) and Pacific International Lines (PIL) will commence a new liner service between China, Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent next month.    Ocean carriers Wan Hai, MOL, IAL and PIL will launch a new service between China, Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent next month, Wan Hai and MOL jointly announced.
   Wan Hai will refer to the loop as the China-India Service II (CI2), while MOL will dub it the China/West Coast India service (CIS), but it is still not clear what IAL and PIL will call the service.
   The CI2/CIS will have a rotation of Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Port Kelang, Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Colombo, Penang, Port Kelang, Hong Kong and Qingdao.
   Commencing Feb. 27 with the Wan Hai 507 from Qingdao, the weekly loop will operate with six vessels of around 4,250 TEUs with a total rotation time of 42 days.
   Wan Hai will provide three of the vessels on the CI2/CIS, while PIL, IAL and MOL will each supply the loop with one vessel, Wan Hai said.
   Overall, a total of 34 carriers currently deploy capacity across 72 container shipping services that serve the Asia to Indian Subcontinent/Middle East trade, according to data gathered from ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting’s Carrier Trade Route Deployment Report and Capacity Report. Of these services, only 50 are dedicated to the trade, meaning they do not call any other regions.