China United Lines have introduced a new Red Sea Service (REX) to connect China and Jeddah amidst the on-going Red Sea crisis that has seen a reduction in the number of ships able to serve the Red Sea region. The REX service calls at Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Jeddah, Qingdao with a single 2,786 teu ship (CUL MANILA) deployed since 28 December 2023. The service turns in around 30 to 35 days on a monthly frequency.
The number of containerships that has been diverted from the Suez to the Cape route has reached 354 ships since 15 December 2023, accounting for 80% of all the ships moving between the Atlantic/Med basins and the Indian Ocean. The number will continue to grow over the coming week with most of the main carriers currently opting for the Cape route. Only CMA CGM and a small number of niche carriers operating in the Asia to East Med and Baltic markets that have continued to use the Suez route with r
MSC has introduced a new Red Sea Express service that connects Tekirdag, Derince, Mersin, King Abdullah Port, Jeddah, Aqaba, Tekirdag from 31 December 2023 with the 4,872 teu MSC CARMEN. The service will provide connections to the Red Sea ports in Saudi Arabia and Jordan that are currently restricted.
Hapag-Lloyd will introduce a new shuttle service for Red Sea cargo connections calling at Tanger, Damietta, Jeddah, Tanger from 19 January 2024 using the 4,252 teu SEASPAN HAMBURG. The service will turn on a 10-12 day frequency initially with feeder connections offered at Jeddah to Aqaba and Port Sudan. The temporary solution will replace current connections to the Red Sea that have been affected by vessel diversions to the Cape route.
The number of containerships diverted to the Cape Route has reached 262 ships as at 31 December 2023 with a total capacity of 3.4m teu or 12% of the global capacity. Apart from ships diverted from the Suez route, there is also an increasing number of ships diverted from the Panama Canal to avoid the Canal congestion. With the crisis hitting Europe rates the hardest, European carriers have taken a divergent approach with Maersk and CMA CGM resuming Suez transits as of last week while MSC and Ha
The number of containerships diverted from the Suez to the Cape Route has surged to 125 units compared to 44 a week ago, including 16 ships that turned back in the Red Sea to the Med after making their southbound Suez passage. The record number of diversions far exceeds the number of ships that were diverted during the EVER GIVEN incident on the Suez Canal in March 2021 when less than 20 ships were diverted. While the previous Suez blockage in 2021 lasted barely 7 days, the impact of the current
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.
X-Press Feeders has introduced a new Jeddah Hodeidah X-Press (JHX) service that connects Jeddah, Djibouti, Hodeidah, Jeddah from 10 November 2023 using the 1,866 teu EA BLUE NILE and 1,645 teu X-PRESS KOHIMA. The service will operate on an irregular rolling schedule without fixed windows on a full rotation that will take 28 to 32 days due to berth congestion at Djibouti and Hodeidah. The service will call at both the RSGT and DPW terminal in Jeddah. The JHX will complement the existing Jeddah
Asyad Line has introduced a new Red Sea Express (REX) service connnecting Nhava Sheva, Mundra, Salalah, Jeddah, Sokhna, Nhava Sheva. The service was launched on 1 May 2023 with the newly chartered 2,782 teu GREGOS and the IRENES RULE.
SeaLead has launched a new Sudan Red Sea Shuttle (SRS) service connecting Jeddah and Sudan on 20 January 2023 with the 1,078 teu SENTOSA TRADER. The service operates on a 10 day frequency and calls at the DPW Red Sea Gateway Terminal in Jeddah and the Port Sudan container terminal.