Zim to start Europe/West and South Africa loop

Zim to start Europe/West and South Africa loop    Israel’s Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. plans to enter the North Europe/West and South Africa trade by starting a weekly service by the end of the year.
   Discussions with potential service partners are ongoing but Zim said the service will likely start in October or November adding seven ships of about 1,700 TEUs to the trade.
   No service name was given and ports in Europe have yet to be decided upon. The rotation will be based upon the following: North European continental ports; Lagos, Nigeria; Durban, South Africa; Cape Town, South Africa; Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and back to North Europe.
   “This move is part of Zim’s intention to beef up its north/south routes, offering new opportunities to its customers,” Zim said in a statement.
   This new service will join Zim’s Far East/South and West Africa (FAX) service with China Shipping Container Line and its Mediterranean/West Africa (MAF) loop in partnership with COSCO Container Lines and Messina.
   Recently, Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd said it was going to start an independent service in the Europe/South Africa trade before ditching that plan and instead agreeing to take slots from Mediterranean Shipping Co. on an existing loop.