The strength of the US container cargo demand remains very much in evidence, with preliminary import volume data for May and June showing imports from Asia declining by only 5.6% in the last 2 months despite the severe disruption from the Trump tariffs. Although imports from China dropped by 24% yoy, volumes from all other Asian origins recorded positive gains, led by Vietnam and Indonesia which grew by 34% and 33% respectively. The 20% tariff on Vietnamese imports announced last week will not
MSC has made the first move to withdraw excess capacity on the transpacific route with the suspension of the Pearl service that connects Cai Mep, Haiphong, Nansha, Hong Kong, Yantian, Xiamen, Long Beach. The last sailing on the Pearl service will be made by the 8,819 teu MSC ELODIE from Xiamen on 13 July 2025. The Pearl service is currently operated as part of Pearl-Shikra service since May 2025 using ships of 8,000 to 9,400 teu. The Far East-India leg is expected to be retained after the remov
CU Lines, SeaLead and TS Lines have reversed their decision to add additional tonnage on the Transpacific route in the face of rapidly declining freight rates. CU Lines will withdraw the Trans Pacific West Coast I Service (TP1) after a single sailing by the 2,758 teu CUL MANILA that started its voyage on 16 June 2025 calling at Nansha, Shekou, Ningbo, Qingdao, Los Angeles, Ningbo. The ship will be redirected to the Red Sea service after completing its current voyage at Ningbo on 31 July 2025. T
Hede Shipping will launch a 3rd independent HDS3 transpacific shuttle service connecting Nansha, Los Angeles, Nansha from 15 July 2025. The HDS3 will turn in 6 weeks and will be operated on a fortnightly frequency using 3 ships starting with the 4,298 teu REN JIAN 8 at Nansha on 15 July, followed by the 2,702 teu DORIS OCEAN on 29 July and the 4,395 teu REN JIAN 16 on 12 August.
MSC and Zim have merged their Pelican/Zim South Lotus (ZSL) and Lone Star Express/Zim Gulf Central (ZGC) service connecting the Far East with the US East Coast into a new Lone Star Express/Zim South Lotus (ZSL) service from 15 May 2025. The revised service will call at Cai Mep, Yantian, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Mobile, Houston, Tampa, Miami, Bahamas Freeport, Singapore, Cai Mep. The new Lone Star Express/Zim South Lotus (ZSL) service will turn in 13 weeks and deploys 13 ships of 8,000 to 10,000
Emirates Shipping Line (ESL) will return to the Transpacific trade from July 2025 in a partnership with UWL on the Sun Chief Express service. ESL first entered the Transpacific trade in 2006 when it partnered Zim, SCI and MacAndrews on the India-USEC Indus Express (IDX) and with Zim on the Asia-US Gulf Express (AGX). ESL shut down the IDX in December 2007 and withdrew from the AGX in May 2008 thus ending its participation on the US routes after less than 2 years in the trade. The new ESL trans
SeaLead will launch a new PNW transpacific service connecting Shekou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Seattle, Vancouver, Shekou in July 2025. The PNW service will turn in 6 weeks and will initially deploy 3 ships of 2,200 to 3,400 teu on irregular schedules. The service is scheduled to start from 4 July 2025 with the 2,274 teu CICCIO at Shekou, with the second sailing due on 27 July with the 3,398 teu ALE. The schedules are subject to changes as the rapid decline in transpacific freight rates could derail S
MSC will change the pairing of the Far East-Middle East Clanga service once again, dropping the planned combination with the Sentosa service to the PSW and switching to a new combination with the Chinook service to the PNW. The new Chinook-Clanga service will start from 6 June 2025 calling at Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Singapore, Nhava Sheva, Dammam, Hamad, Cai Mep, Haiphong, Yantian, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Seattle, Vancouver, Prince Rupert, Busan, Qingdao. The new pendulum
Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk will launch a new Transpacific WC6/TP9 service connecting Xiamen, Busan, Long Beach, Xiamen. The Gemini Cooperation service will turn in 6 weeks and deploys 6 ships of 4,000-5,000 teu starting with the 4,622 teu RHONE MAERSK at Xiamen on 23 June 2025.
The restoration of suspended Transpacific services along with the addition of extra loaders have fully restored the total capacity available on the Far East-North American route. These capacity additions are expected to mitigate the impact of soaring Transpacific rates which are expected to rise to $6,000/feu to the US West Coast and $7,000/feu to the US East Coast on 1 June 2025. With container equipment availability and port congestion both under control, coupled with the rebound in vessel ca