CMA CGM will remove calls at Karachi and Port Qasim on 4 of its services that also serves Indian ports from 9 May 2025 due to the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. The affected services are EPIC, MEDEX, INDAMEX and AS1. Cargo to and from Pakistan will be redirected to the Pakistan Khalifa Express (PIKEX) that has been revised to call at Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Karachi, Port Qasim, Colombo, Karachi, Jebel Ali with connections at the Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi and Colombo hubs to other CMA CGM
CLdN has launched a new Zeebrugge-Ireland lolo service from 8 May 2025 connecting Zeebrugge, Cork, Dublin, Zeebrugge with the 803 teu JSP ROVER that has been chartered for 2 years at a daily rate of €12,000.
MSC has launched a new BUNGARAYA intra-Asia service connecting Shanghai, Ningbo, Port Klang, Penang, Pasir Gudang, Singapore, Shanghai from 7 April 2025. The BUNGARAYA service turns in 21 days using 3 ships of 1,700-2,500 teu starting with the 2,796 teu MSC CALIDRIS III followed by the 2,556 teu ETOILE and 1,730 teu MSC TRADER II.
OOCL has launched a new Vietnam Singapore Express (VSX) service connecting Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore from 22 April 2025 turning weekly using the 1,714 teu BOX ENDEAVOUR for the first 4 voyages before being replaced by the 1,809 teu MONICA from 16 May 2025.
MSC has cancelled the launch of its new Asia-Med Phoenix service that was originally scheduled to start at the end of February 2025 but have been repeatedly delayed before the service was finally withdrawn altogether in May 2025. The Phoenix service was to turn in 15 weeks using up to 15 ships of 6,000-14,000 teu to call at Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shekou, Singapore, Iskenderun, Piraeus, Trieste, Koper, Iskenderun, Mersin, Singapore, Busan. The Phoenix service was 1 of the 6 Asia-Med services
MSC will combine their FE-ME Clanga service with the FE-USWC Sentosa service turning it into a ME-FE-USWC pendulum service. The new Sentosa - Clanga service will call at Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Singapore, Karachi, Dammam, Hamad, Bahrain, Colombo, Port Klang, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Cai Mep, Ningbo, Shanghai, Long Beach, Oakland, Yokohama, Qingdao and is expected to start from 17 May 2025 with the newly delivered 11,400 teu MSC FLORA. The Sentosa - Clanga service will turn in 112 day
MSC and Zim will withdraw 2 of their Far East-US East Coast services from May 2025 in response to the sharp drop off in China-US volumes and retain 4 of their remaining FE-USEC services with revised rotations as follows: * America/Zim Seven Seas (Z7S) : Yantian call is dropped and replaced by Haiphong as the service turns around in Vietnam and omits China. Revised rotation Colombo, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Haiphong, Cai Mep, Singapore, New York, Baltimore, Savannah, Jacksonville, Colombo from
CK Line has launched a new Busan Russia Express (BRX) service connecting Busan, Vladivostok, Busan from 4 April 2025 using the 679 teu XING LUO 7.
Ocean freight traffic slowed over the past week across Asia due to the Labour Day holidays but average freight rates largely held their ground despite the continuing market turmoil triggered by the US tariffs. Transpacific rates bucked the downward pressure as carriers moved swiftly to remove excess capacity that allowed them to secure rate hikes in both the spot and contract markets, although the rate strength is due more to an anticipated cargo surge if a Sino-US trade deal could be reached.
Shanghai–North Europe freight futures declined further in a shortened trading week due to the May Day holidays from 1 to 5 May. Open interest dropped by 8% week on week as traders liquidated their positions ahead of the holidays with the market outlook remaining negative. The value of the open EC contracts dropped to $829m as it closes in on the 18-month lows. Carriers continue to slash freight rates with capacity utilisation on the Far East–North Europe route remaining subdued as blank sailing