The SEAS1/ASE1 loop, which is currently operated by ocean carriers CMA CGM, Hapag-Lloyd, Hamburg Sud and NYK, is switching from a weekly frequency to fortnightly.
A container shipping service dedicated to trade between Asia and the East Coast of South America is downgrading its frequency from weekly to fortnightly, according to French ocean carrier CMA CGM.
The loop is referred to as the following by its vessel providers: SEAS1 by CMA CGM, ASE1 by Hapag-Lloyd, New Good Hope Express-Sling 1 by Hamburg Sud and NEX1 by NYK.
The SEAS1/ASE1 has a rotation of Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Sepetiba, Santos, Porto Itapoa, Nagegantes, Paranagua, Santos, Sepetiba, Port Kelang, Singapore, Hong Kong and Busan.
Now that the service is becoming fortnightly, it will operate with six vessels instead of 12 vessels, but CMA CGM said port coverage and transit times will not change.
Currently, the 12 vessels on the SEAS1/ASE1 have an average capacity of 8,627 TEUs, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting. The six vessels that will remain on the loop have an average vessel capacity of 8,542 TEUs.
CMA CGM said the next four voyages will be as follows:
• CMA CGM Congo in Busan Feb. 18
• Tempanos in Busan March 4
• Tubul in Busan March 18
• CMA CGM Mekong in Busan April 1
With these changes, Hapag-Lloyd will provide three vessels on the SEAS1/ASE1, while CMA CGM will provide two vessels and NYK will provide one vessel, according to all three carriers’ most recent online service schedules. As a result, Hamburg Sud is downgrading from a vessel provider to a slot purchaser.
In addition, Evergreen Line, COSCO, CSCL, Yang Ming, NYK, UASC, “K” Line, PIL, Hyundai, ZIM and subsidiary lines Delmas and Alianca purchase slots on the service.
Although the SEAS1/ASE1 has changed to a fortnightly frequency, three other container shipping services deploy capacity from Asia to East Coast of South America each week.
These services include the ESA, jointly operated by Evergreen Line, COSCO, Hanjin and ZIM; the AS2, jointly operated by Hamburg Sud, Hyundai, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA CGM and UASC; and the Ipanema Service/ASAS3, jointly operated by MSC and Maersk Line.
MOL, which purchases slots on the Ipanema Service/ASAS3, said it will become a vessel provider on the loop, re-branding it as the “new” CSW as the service adds calls at Navegantes and Itajai, after terminating its former CSW loop serving the trade last week.
The ESA and AS2 are dedicated to the trade between Asia and the East Coast of South America, while the Ipanema Service/ASAS3 calls Africa in addition to Asia and the East Coast of South America.
Overall, of the four container services deploying capacity from Asia to the East Coast of South America, the AS2 has the largest average vessel capacity at 9,343 TEUs, according to BlueWater Reporting’s Capacity Report.
Carriers decrease frequency on joint Asia-ECSA container service
