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Asian container routes see extra slow steaming

Asian container routes see extra slow steaming

Shanghai: The latest Alphaliner newsletter highlights a distinct trend towards extra slow steaming by leading container liners. It writes, "Two high volume transpacific loops are to adopt extra slow steaming, the Maersk/MSC/CMA CGM 'TP-8/New Orient Express/Bohai' and the CMA CGM/MSC 'Pearl River Express' (PRX). Both loops are run with ships averaging 8,500 teu. Each of the services will be stretched by one week from 5 to 6 weeks, with the addition of a sixth ship for each loop.

A third Asia-US West Coast service, the Grand Alliance Transpacific SSX loop will also be slowed down. OOCL, which runs the SSX, is to bring the 5,762 teu OOCL GERMANY as the extra sixth ship on 18 February. The vessel was freed up though cascading triggered by the restructuring of the GA FE-Europe services.

Additionally, two more Far East-North Europe loops are to be slowed down in extra slow steaming mode this month: the New World Alliance 'Asia Europe Express' (AEX) and the CKYH Asia-North Europe Loop 4 (NE 4).

Each loop is stretched by one week. Hyundai M.M., which runs the AEX, will re-activate the 6,800 teu Hyundai Jakarta as the 10th ship on the service. This follows the NWA's JEX which is also stretched to 10 weeks in January. The additional ship on the NE 4 is not yet named. The CKYH Far East- Europe NE 1 and NE 2 services are currently run with 8 ships and are likely to be stretched soon."  [12/01/10]