Grand Alliance restructuring Asia-East Med/Black Sea Service

Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, MISC Berhad, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) announced today that they will restructure the coverage of the Asia-East Med/Black Sea trade.

After having suspended the ABX service earlier, the Grand Alliance is now offering an East Med/Black Sea Express service (EMX) in co-operation with ZIM Lines.

The rotation of the EMX is Pusan – Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou - Port Kelang – Colombo - Nhava Sheva – Istanbul – Novorossiysk – Constanza – Istanbul - Nhava Sheva – Colombo - Port Kelang – Shekou - Pusan. The first sailing will be the ‘ZIM YOKOHAMA’ with an eta of February 23rd, 2009 at Pusan.

With this arrangement the Grand Alliance Lines will continue to offer direct coverage to the main ports in the East Med as well as the Black Sea. <Korea Shipping Gazette>