Swire Projects, the specialist shipping services division of Swire Shipping, has launched a Transpacific Semi-Liner Service using 3 of its H-Class 28,500 dwt/1,553 teu mpp ships (PACIFIC HERO, PACIFIC HONOUR, PACIFIC HUMILITY) from 18 November 2023. The service will call on an irregular basis at Qingdao, Taicang, Everett, Vancouver, Qingdao with inducement calls at additional ports in Southeast Asia, US West Coast and Mexico with sailings every 2-4 weeks. The 3 H-Class ships were chartered by
CMA CGM and COSCO have launched a new Asia Subcontinent Express 2 (AS2) service that connects Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Colombo, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Singapore, Shanghai from 16 November 2023. The AS2 will turn in 5 weeks using 5 ships of 4,200-6,300 teu, of which 4 ships are operated by CMA CGM (4,253 teu DERBY, 5,466 teu CMA CGM LEKKI, 6,350 teu APL MINNESOTA and TBN vessel)and 1 ship is from COSCO (5,085 teu COSCO NEW YORK).
SeaLead has launched a new Mediterranean-South America (MEDSA) service from 12 November 2023 that connects Casablanca, Itapoa, Paranagua, Santos, Casablanca. The first sailing was made by the 1,723 teu GREEN HOPE that departed from Casablanca on 13 November and arrived in Santos on 29 November. The service will turn in 5 weeks and will initially operate on a monthly frequency with only 1 ship with more ships to be added subsequently. Relay connections will be offered at Casablanca to Barcelona
Maersk has launched a new intra-Asia SE8 service connecting Jakarta, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Klang, Haiphong, Qinzhou, Port Klang, Singapore, Jakarta from 8 Novmber 2023. The service turns in 3 weeks and deploys ships of 1,000-1,700 teu with the maiden voyage made by the 1,714 teu BOX ENDEAVOUR at Jakarta on 8 November.
Zhejiang Xiehai has launched a new container service connecting Taizhou and Valparaiso using the 1,728 teu XH DOLPHIN. Xiehai has acquired the 2013 built ship formerly named CERINTHUS from Hadley Shipping in May 2023 for $17.3m. The ship was modified at COSCO Zhoushan from 6 June to 8 November 2023 to become a fully air-cooled refrigerated containership. It departed for the first voyage after modification on 13 November 2023 from Taizhou and is bound for Valparaiso on a 23 day trip. The serv
SeaLead will launch a new Red Sea Service connecting Jeddah, Djibouti, Hodeidah, Jeddah from mid December 2023 with the 1,732 teu HAIAN WEST. The service will turn in 18-28 days using a single ship initially on an irregular frequency due to congestion at Hodeidah.
Carriers have made no headway in controlling surplus capacity, in sharp contrast to the same period last year when the idled fleet rose sharply through November. This time, idled capacity peaked at only 400,000 teu in October but has dropped to just 187,000 teu currently with most of the capacity withdrawn returning after brief intermissions. Even the rise in ships in drydock in October has started to reverse, with the total capacity in drydock falling to 800,000 teu after its recent peak. Chi
Following the SCFIS’s 8% WoW correction on 20 November, the Asia-North Europe CoFIF forward rates endured consistent selling pressure through last week on relatively thin volume. Open Interests edged up as turnover-to-open interest ratio fell to just 1.2-1.3, a level suggesting the trading volume may be able to sustain at over $650mn a day. Trading in the week ahead remains hazy with the SCFIS dropping a further 4.4% on 27 November while the SCFI rebounded 10.2% last Friday on December GRI hopes
The Panama Canal transit restrictions have started to impact containerships for the first time, with a rising number of ships facing delays that are set to worsen over the next 2 months. The limits on vessel transits that have been implemented since 1 November will see the daily transit limit cut from 32 to 18 for all kind of vessels by February next year, with transits for neo-panamax to be limited to 5 daily or 35 weekly. Containerships currently account for 29 weekly neo-panamax transits
Rates to the US West Coast are slipping quickly as the window for holiday season shipments have closed even for the express e-commerce focused services, with the SCFI spot rates dropping by 4.1% last week. But rates to the East Coast are on firmer ground, with carriers pushing ahead with Panama Canal Surcharges that will kick in from December, with all of the FE-USEC services through the Panama Canal to compete for limited neo-panamax transit slots from January. SCFI spot rates to Europe have