PIL, Wan Hai to buy slots from Cosco on Asia-Europe service

PIL and Wan Hai Lines are expected to continue purchasing slots from Coscon on the Asia-North Europe trade, taking about 600 TEU a week on the new NE1 service operated by the CKYH alliance, of which Coscon is a member along with "K" Line, Yang Ming and Hanjin.
"This is a continuation of the slot arrangement that the lines had on the AES service operated by Coscon. This loop was phased out in October as part of the CKYH Far East-Europe service rationalisation programme," reports Paris-based AXS-Alphaliner.
The port rotation for the NE1 service that uses eight 9,500-10,000-TEU vessels is Rotterdam, Hamburg, Felixstowe, Antwerp, Singapore, Ningbo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Nansha, returning to Rotterdam.
PIL and Wan Hai Lines shelved their own Far East-North Europe loop in December last year and started instead purchasing slots on Coscon`s Asia-Europe service (AES).
"The move by the two carriers to stay in the North Europe trade despite their relatively small allocation contrasts with the decision taken by several smaller carriers to exit completely from the loss-making route. Malaysia`s MISC will exit the trade at the end of the year and entirely withdraw from its participation in the Grand Alliance, while CSAV Norasia no longer serves the route since January, when it withdrew its eight ships of 4,400-6,500 TEU from the trade," the newsletter said.