United Arab Shipping Co. leaves India/America service

United Arab Shipping Co. leaves India/America service

   United Arab Shipping Co. was forced to withdraw from the weekly U.S./Mediterranean/Middle East and Indian subcontinent “Indamex” service after its slot-charter agreement was canceled by the joint service's vessel operators.

   Since the end of 2002, UASC had purchased 150 TEUs per round-voyage from CMA CGM and Contship Containerlines.

   “In accordance with the contract covering this arrangement the slot sellers gave us notice of termination and the arrangement has ceased with effect from end March,” said Jorn Hinge, deputy chief executive trade and operation at UASC.

   UASC’s own weekly Mediterranean/Indian subcontinent “MIX” service was extended to call at U.S. ports in November last year, creating an apparent direct competition to the Indamex service.

   However, Hinge said: “It was never our intention to compete with the Indamex service, due to the longer transit times for the MIX service.”

   According to ComPair Data, the global liner-shipping database, the Indamex service has a transit time of 26 days from Charleston to Nhava Sheva, compared with a transit of 37 days from neighboring Savannah to Nhava Sheva on the MIX service.