The New World Alliance (TNWA) carriers –APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) announced revised capacity and service plans for the Transatlantic trade. TNWA and Maersk Line have been exchanging space in the Transatlantic trade. While TNWA continue to cooperate with Maersk Line, capacity reductions and service changes will be implemented in response to market conditions. While excess capacity will be eliminated from the Transatlantic by this group of carriers, enhancements on other routes will ensure continued service reliability and rapid transit times for shippers.
The changes are detailed below:
ATN/TA3- Maersk Line loop
• Currently APL and HMM have the space on this loop.
• Subject to regulatory filing, from December 2009 the ATN/TA3 service between the US East Coast (USEC) and Europe will be suspended.
APX/TA1-TNWA loop
• The USEC-Europe segment of the APX/TA1 will include additional calls at Antwerp and Le Havre.
• The revised port rotation for this segment will be: Manzanillo-Miami-Jacksonville-Savannah-Charleston-New York-Antwerp-Bremerhaven-Felixstowe-Rotterdam-Le Havre-New York-Norfolk-Charleston-Manzanillo-Los Angeles-Oakland.
• Maersk Line will continue to participate in this loop as a slot charterer.
ATS/TA2- Maersk Line loop
• The ATS/TA2 rotation will include additional calls at New York, Savannah and Miami. An additional ship will be added to make this a six-vessel loop.
• The revised rotation will be Houston-Mobile-Norfolk-Rotterdam-Felixstowe-Bremerhaven-New York-Charleston-Savannah-Miami-Houston
• Currently, APL, HMM, and MOL have the space. After this change, APL and HMM will have the space.
The changes will reduce existing capacity of the TNWA and Maersk in the Transatlantic by around one-third.