ZIM AND EVERGREEN EXCHANGE SLOTS ON ASIA/MED ROUTE

ZIM AND EVERGREEN EXCHANGE SLOTS ON ASIA/MED ROUTE    Zim Israel Navigation Co. and Evergreen Marine Corp. have entered into a slot exchange agreement covering their respective Asia/Mediterranean container services.
   Under the agreement, Zim will take slots on Evergreen’s weekly “FEM” service linking Asia and the western Mediterranean. The first westbound sailing under the new slot exchange agreement will be Evergreen’s Aug. 30 sailing from Kaohsiung, and the first eastbound sailing is scheduled for Sept. 1 out of Taranto.
   In return, Evergreen will have an identical number of slots on Zim’s weekly “AMP” service linking the Asia and the Mediterranean. The first westbound sailing under the new slot exchange agreement will be Zim’s Aug. 28 AMP sailing from Pusan, and the first eastbound sailing is scheduled for Aug. 31 out of Koper.
   “It’s expected that both companies will further extend their cooperation in future,” a spokesman for Zim said.
   Evergreen has only recenty entered into slot exchange agreements with other shipping lines on the east/west trades. Its first cooperative agreements on the east/west trades were with New World Alliance carriers APL, Hyundai and MOL, and with CMA CGM.