P&ONL GOES IT ALONE ON EUROPE/EAST COAST SOUTH AMERICA RUN

P&ONL GOES IT ALONE ON EUROPE/EAST COAST SOUTH AMERICA RUN    P&O Nedlloyd will withdraw from a vessel-sharing agreement in the northern Europe/East Coast of South America trade to launch its own service in May.
   The Anglo-Dutch carrier has previously cooperated with Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, Senator Lines, Contship Containerlines and NYK within the “VSA3” vessel-sharing consortium.
   P&O Nedlloyd will now run an independent weekly service, called “Lambada,” employing seven vessels of approximately 1,600 TEUs. These vessels compare with ships of about 2,500-TEU capacity used by the “VSA3” consortium on the same route.
   The service will call at Tilbury, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Santos, Paranagua, Buenos Aires, Rio Grande, Itajai, Santos, Salvador and Tilbury. Additionally, southbound calls will be made at Bilbao, Lisbon and Recife in alternate weeks, and Montevideo, Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon will be called on alternate weeks northbound.
   “The improved operation will allow P&O Nedlloyd to meet market demand in the region including enhanced reefer capacity,” the carrier said.
   The service will start from Buenos Aires on May and from Tilbury on May 12.