U.S. Lines to add China/U.S. East Coast service

U.S. Lines to add China/U.S. East Coast service

   U.S. Lines is planning to enter the Asia/U.S. East Coast trade by taking space between China and U.S. East Coast slots from Zim Israel Navigation Co.

   U.S. Lines, which entered the China/U.S. West Coast trade last December with a service employing chartered containerships of about 1,600-TEU capacities, had said it was looking at a potential East Coast operation.

   The new “Zim/USL Space Charter Agreement,” filed with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission, authorizes Zim to sell container space to U.S. Lines in the trade between China and the U.S. Atlantic Coast.

   It follows a recent agreement made between U.S. Lines and Hanjin Shipping in the China/U.S. trade whereby U.S. Lines will also buy slots on its partner’s ships.