COSCO joins Ocean3 Alliance’s pendulum service

Chinese ocean carrier COSCO will join the Ocean3 Alliance’s Columbus service, which operates between Asia and North America’s east and west coasts.

   Chinese ocean carrier COSCO will join the Ocean3 Alliance’s Columbus service next week, which operates between Asia and North America’s east and west coasts.
   The service has a rotation of Ningbo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Yantian, Cai Mep, Port Kelang, Halifax, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Port Kelang, Cai Mep, Hong Kong, Yantian, Shanghai, Ningbo, Busan, Seattle, Vancouver (British Columbia), Nakhodka and Ningbo.
   The Asia-North America east coast portion of the Columbus service has been dubbed the AAE1 by COSCO, which calls the transpacific portion of service the ANW1.
   COSCO said it will commence operations on the AAE1 portion with the Pacific Link (ETA Shanghai, Nov. 25). This is referring to the westbound route from Asia to North America’s east coast. However, the Ocean3 Alliance members’ online service schedules illustrate the CSCL Oceania will be sailing this voyage and not the Pacific Link.
   In addition, COSCO will begin operations on the ANW1 portion with the CMA CGM Tancredi (ETA Port Kelang, Nov. 24), the ocean carrier said. This is referring to the eastbound route from Asia to the west coast of North America.
   The Columbus service operates with 18 vessels with an average capacity of 8,455 TEUs, according to ocean carrier schedule and capacity database BlueWater Reporting. CMA CGM provides 10 vessels, CSCL provides six vessels and United Arab Shipping Co. provides two vessels.
   CMA CGM’s subsidiaries Delmas, ANL and US Lines purchase slots on the service. Hamburg Sud and its subsidiary line Alianca also purchase slots on the service.
   In addition to the Nakhoda call, COSCO will omit the westbound Ningbo departure to the east coast of North America and the eastbound Ningbo arrival from North America’s west coast, according to the carrier’s online proforma and online service schedules. UASC, Alianca and Hamburg Sud also omit Nakhoda, based on their online service schedules.