SEA-LAND ENDS PACT WITH MAERSK ON EUROPE/SOUTH AMERICA ROUTE

   Sea-Land Service has ended its vessel-sharing agreement with global alliance partner Maersk Line on the northern Europe/East Coast of South America route.

    The agreement will terminate in April.

   Sea-Land’s last advertised sailings on this route are at the end of March and the carrier provides no information about any future service.

   Sea-Land could neither deny nor confirm whether it would permanently withdraw from the trade after ending its joint service with Maersk.

   A spokesman for Maersk said that it will continue the service after Sea-Land’s departure. Maersk will sell space on its ships to CMB Transport, part of the Safmarine Container Lines group, as a slot charterer. Maersk recently announced a plan to acquire Safmarine Container Lines’ liner activities, including CMB Transport.