US Ocean Container Services Changes

Evergreen Line has a new service linking Japan and the US West Coast. MOL and Mediterranean Shipping boost South American offerings. The Evergreen fixed-day, weekly service will link key ports in Japan using four 2,000 to 3,000 twenty-foot-equivalent (TEU) vessels. The first departure from Osaka will begin on May 14, 2008. Ports of call on the 28-day rotation include Osaka, Kobe, Nagoya, Shimizu, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Osaka.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has launched two direct Asia-US shuttles.

Japanese carrier Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) in cooperation with “K” Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd.) has begun two new weekly services to Latin America. Loop 1 (WL1) covers Mexico and Chile in its service that includes Keelung (Taiwan)-Hong Kong-Chiwan (China)-Xiamen (China)-Shanghai (China)-Qingdao (China)-Pusan (S. Korea)-Manzanillo (Mexico)-Iquique (Chile)-Valparaiso (Chile)-Lirquén (Chile)-Yokohama-Keelung (Taiwan). The service uses nine 2,500 TEU containerships.

Loop 2 (WL2) employs nine 2,500 TEU vessels. Its rotation is Yokohama-Ningbo (China)-Shanghai (China)-Pusan (S. Korea)-Manzanillo (Mexico)-Buenaventura (Colombia)-Callao (Peru)-Yokohama

Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) has added a new, direct service that links the Port of New Orleans to the West Coast of South America. The vessel rotation is New Orleans-Freeport-Caucedo-Buenaventura-Callao-Arica-Valparaiso-Ilo-and return.

With the continuing increase in fuel costs, MSC has increased its BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) on imports from Italy, Spain, South France and Portugal to $75 per TEU. Containers arriving at East Coast ports from these countries pay $600 per 20-foot unit and $1,200 per 40-foot unit. Those arriving at West Coast ports pay $660 per 20-foot container and $3,120 per 40-foot unit.