Grand Alliance changes to Asia - West Mediterranean Service

The Grand Alliance (GA) carriers - Hapag-Lloyd (HL), MISC Berhad (MISC), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) , and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) - announced a revised Asia-West Mediterranean service (EUM) that will include the New World Alliance (NWA) lines - APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL).

The NWA will join the GA? EUM service from December 23, 2008 to offer better market coverage including Busan and Valencia. EUM will continue with 8 ships of about 6,000 TEU, and with the NWA providing two ships and the GA providing six ships. Chiwan will be added to the existing EUM service, making the new port rotation as follows:

Busan - Shanghai - Ningbo - Chiwan - Shekou - Hong Kong - Singapore - Port Klang - Jeddah - Damietta - Genoa - Fos - Barcelona - Valencia - Damietta - Singapore - Hong Kong - Busan <Korea Shipping Gazette>