Yang Ming, “K” Line may drop out of India/Europe link

Yang Ming, “K” Line may drop out of India/Europe link

Yang Ming, “K” Line may drop out of India/Europe link

   Two Asia-based carriers could back out of an Indian Subcontinent/Europe service headed by the Shipping Corp. of India.
   Taiwanese carrier Yang Ming Line and Japan-based 'K' Line will depart the ISE service eminently, according to a report last week by Containerization International. It follows similar departures by MISC and Zim in March, leaving SCI as the only operator on the service.
   Yang Ming told American Shipper the line has not yet formally announced whether it is dropping out of the service, but it did not outright deny the report. A spokesman said the three carriers would announce the outcome when they had mutually decided how to move forward.
   SCI has indicated it will continue the loop whether or not it has partners, despite rates dropping precipitously between South Asia and Europe. The service employs six vessels between 3,500 and 4,000 TEUs and has a port rotation of Colombo, Nhava Sheva, Port Said, Barcelona, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Port Said and Colombo.
   Requests for comment from SCI and 'K' Line were not returned.