ZIM, CHINA SHIPPING INTENSIFY TRANSPACIFIC COOPERATION

ZIM, CHINA SHIPPING INTENSIFY TRANSPACIFIC COOPERATION    Zim Israel Navigation and China Shipping Container Lines, the liner arm of China Shipping Group, are intensifying their cooperation in the transpacific container trade.
   The two carriers have announced a slot-exchange agreement covering four Asia/West Coast of North America services that will enable them to offer additional sailings in the trade. The two carriers will together offer four weekly strings between the Far East and the West Coast of U.S. and Canada, combining two Zim services and two China Shipping Group services.
   The transpacific strings concerned are Zim’s ZPS and ZCS services and China Shipping Group’s AAC and AAS loops.
   The ZPS service will have a revised rotation of Shekou, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pusan, Vancouver, Seattle and Kwangyang.
   The ZCS string calls at Shekou, Hong Kong, Keelung, Pusan, Osaka, Yokohama, Los Angeles, Kingston, Savannah, New York and Halifax.
   The rotation of the AAS, or Asia America South, service is Xiamen, Yantian, Hong Kong, Pusan, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Yokohama.
   The AAC, or Asia America Central, string calls at Lianyungang, Qingdao, Ningbo, Shanghai, Hakata, Pusan, Los Angeles and Oakland.
   A spokesman for Zim said that calls at U.S. Pacific Southwest ports under the ZPS service will be ended. The AAC and AAS strings will cover those ports.
   Outside the slot-exchange Asia/West Coast of North America agreement, Zim and China Shipping Group each continue to operate a weekly Asia/East Coast of North America service.
   Zim said that the new agreement is expected to commence soon, subject to U.S. Federal Maritime Commission approval.