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Yang Ming to offer direct Far East-Iraq connection

Yang Ming to offer direct Far East-Iraq connection
Yang Ming is to offer a direct connection between Far East and Iraq by adding an Umm Qasr call in Iraq at the expense of the Bandar Abbas call in Iran on its China Gulf Express service (CGX).

According to Alphaliner, the Taiwanese carrier currently serves Umm Qasr through its weekly Dubai Iraq ’TG2' feeder service, ensured using a single 1,800 teu ship, which will be terminated in early May concurrently to the first Umm Qasr direct call on CGX.

Yang Ming has not disclosed whether Bandar Abbas will continue to be served with an alternative solution.

The revised CGX will be the second service to connect directly Far East with Iraq, adding to the MSC Falcon service that started covering Iraq in January 2017.

Currently, Umm Qasr is served mostly by feeder services hubbing at Jebel Ali, apart from the 'GIS' service operated by UASC that also connects Umm Qasr with Pakistan and India.

The revised CGX will connect Shanghai, Ningbo, Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Shekou, Port Kelang, Jebel Ali, Umm Qasr, Jebel Ali, Port Kelang, Kaohsiung, Shanghai.

It will continue to turn in six weeks and to be run using the current six ships of 4,200-5,500 teu. The revised rotation will take effect on 28 April from Shanghai with the YM Wealth.

Cosco and Hapag-Lloyd, two of the slot operators on the current ‘CGX’, will continue to take slots on the revised CGX, while PIL will leave and will continue to provide direct connections between Central China, South China, South East Asia and the Middle East through slots on the Ocean Alliance Far East-Middle East service 'MEA5' loop.