MSC has launched a new Southern Loop service connecting Melbourne, Bluff, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Wellington, Nelson, Napier, Wellington, Bell Bay, Melbourne from 9 May 2026. The service turns in 21 days and deploys 3 ships - the 2,556 teu MSC HANISHA III and MSC LUCIA III with the 2,664 teu MSC RINI III. The new service will provide connections to New Zealand and Tasmania via Melbourne. MSC has also revised its existing Noumea Express service with the removal of its previous New Zealand and
Maersk will launch a new Qilin service calling at Shanghai, Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai from 24 July 2026. The service will turn in 5 weeks and will deploy 5 ships that are still to be named. It will offer the fastest transit time from Shanghai to Sydney and Melbourne at 14 days and 17 days respectively compared to 18 days and 21 days currently on Maersk's Dragon service.
ANL/CMA CGM will launch a new Northeast Asia to PNG and Far North Queensland APR2 service connecting Qingdao, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Lae, Motukea, Brisbane, Gladstone, Townsville, Qingdao from 12 September 2025. The service turns in 42 days using 3 ships of 1,700 teu on a fortnightly frequency starting with the 1,756 teu SAN GIORGIO at Qingdao on 12 September, followed by the 1,740 teu ELA and 1,794 teu SEVILLIA.
MSC will restart the Koala service from 30 October 2024 to provide connections between Shanghai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Fremantle, Jakarta, Shanghai. The revived service will turn in 4 weeks and will deploy 4 ships of 1,500 to 2,500 teu starting with the 1,550 teu MSC QINGDAO F at Shanghai on 30 October, followed by the 1,800 teu MSC SIJING together with the 2,556 teu pair MSC HANISHA III and MSC LUCIA III. The move follows the suspension of the Capricorn and Kiwi Express services in August 202
Maersk will launch a new Northern Star service connecting Shanghai, Hong Kong, Brisbane, Auckland, Nelson, Timaru, Port Chalmers, Napier, Tauranga from 20 October 2024. The Northern Star service will turn in 8 weeks and deploys 8 ships of 2,700 to 3,500 teu starting with the 3,450 teu MAERSK INNOSHIMA at Shanghai on 20 October 2024. Maersk new Northern Star service port rotationFollowing the introduction of the new service, Maersk will revise the rotation of the Southern Star service from 2 No
MSC will relaunch the North Asia-ANZ Wallaby service connecting Hong Kong, Yantian, Xiamen, Shanghai, Ningbo, Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Bluff, Lyttelton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Melbourne, Brisbane, Hong Kong. The service will start from 19 August with the 2,732 teu MSC TANIA at Hong Kong. The service is expected to turn in 10 weeks and will deploy 10 ships of 2,700 to 5,000 teu. Port rotation of the new Wallaby service operated by MSCMSC will withdraw the Capricorn and Kiwi service
MSC and Zim will jointly operate the enhanced Panda/Zim Northeast Asia-Australia (ZAX) service from 18 October 2023 following the withdrawal of Zim's own China-Australia Express (CAX) service. The Panda/ZAX will call at Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Nansha using 7 ships of 5,000 teu of which 4 will be operated by MSC and 3 will be from Zim. Revised rotation of the new Panda/ZAX service from Octob
Zim will withdraw its ships from the Asia-Oceania trade and replace them with slots on MSC's enhanced Oceania services suite from October 2023. The move will affect 14 ships of 1,100 teu to 2,800 teu that Zim currently employs on 3 services on this route. Zim's existing China-Australia Express (CAX) service will be replaced by slots on MSC's Panda service that calls at Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Yantian, Nansha, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Busan. Zim's current Thai
Grimaldi has introduced a new container/roro service connecting Europe and ANZ with an irregular monthly frequency. The maiden voyage was made by the 31,340 dwt GRANDE COTONOU (1,800 teu/5,770 lane meters) from 3 April 2023 that called at Southampton, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, Gioia Tauro, Jeddah, Melbourne, Auckland. After the Auckland call on 4 June 2023, the ship will make a return trip to Europe via Busan, Shanghai, Laem Chabang.
COSCO and OOCL have launched a new Australia New Zealand Express (ANE) trans-Tasman service that connects Sydney, Auckland, Melbourne, Bell Bay, Sydney using the 1,1o3 teu CONTSHIP YEN from 16 May 2023. The service will operate on a fortnightly basis on a 14 day round voyage. The service marks COSCO's first dedicated service in the Australia-New Zealand range.