MSC goes it alone, resuming transpac loop October 28 without Maersk
Time：2016-10-17
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Instead, MSC announced it would go it alone when its Maple service resumed on October 28 with a revised rotation that included Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada`s biggest port.
Rumours that 2M had suspended the TP1/Maple string emerged amid reports from Alphaliner that the 2M pair had stopped advertising the service to customers, reported Lloyd`s Loading List.
2M introduced the new string to the transpacific trade in the wake of the Hanjin crisis, offering extra loaders to shippers to help with the capacity shortfall.
The first vessel on the Asia-US west coast service left Yantian on September 15 and was followed by a further two sailings during China`s Golden Week holiday period.
MSC said that Maple would now resume its full service with the departure of 4,675-TEU MSC Rochelle from Shenzhen-Yantian, calling Shanghai and Busan before making stops in Long Beach and Vancouver.
Said Maersk: "We are reviewing the plans for TP1 and will update customers and the market in due time. In the meantime we are deploying extra loaders according to the customers` needs."
Alphaliner also noted that Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) has extended its Far East-US west coast HNS contingency service, following four earlier sailings to cater for demand from ailing Hanjin customers.
Said HMM: "Calls at Shanghai have been added to this service and following a one-week suspension due to Golden Week, further sailings from Shanghai as well as Kwangyang and Busan are now advertised."
But HMM has stopped further extra loaders on the Asia-Europe trade, Alphaliner reported, with no further sailings advertised after the departure of the 5,041-TEU Kaethe P, which left Busan on September 29.