GA Announces Additional Peak Season Asia-Europe Loop
May 20, 2003
In response to continued strong demand in the Asia-Europe trades, the Grand Alliance (comprising Hapag Lloyd, MISC, NYK, OOCL and P&O Nedlloyd) has decided to deploy an additional service in the trade commencing in July 2003.
The additional weekly service will be operated using vessels of 2,800 teu capacity, and will be scheduled to cover the high growth China market. The rotation of the new service will be :
Mediterranean hub
Singapore
Hong Kong
Dalian
Xingang
Pusan
Ningbo
Kaohsiung
Yantian
NW Europe main ports
The service will complement the existing six Grand Alliance services in the trade (5 Far East-North Europe loops, and 1 dedicated Far East-Mediterranean loop), reinforcing the GA's market leading coverage in the Europe - Asia trades.
Also during Quarter 3 of 2003, the GA will add a second weekly call at Shanghai on the established Loop B service, offering fast transit times to the NW Continent of Europe.
The GA estimates that the additional capacity of this extra service in 2003 will allow it to cover the peak shipment needs of the majority of its customers, but will add less than 1% to the total capacity already deployed by the various operators in the trade. Strong demand growth is expected to continue to drive high load-factors in the trade through 2003 and into 2004. However the GA lines will continue to monitor market developments carefully and adjust capacity in its overall network as necessary in order to avoid over-capacity developing in the trade.