Maersk Line has recently signed a vessel sharing agreement with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) for trade between Asia and the east coast of South America.
Maersk said the trade lane was key for the transport of automobile parts and electronics and that the agreement would improve operational responsiveness, helping to propel the automotive industry in South America.
The first vessel will depart from the Far East in the first week of July this year. The new set up will replace all existing vessel sharing agreements, which will terminate at the end of June.
“[The agreement] will also enable us to deploy vessels that are better suited for East Coast South America terminal capabilities and continue to optimize utilisation of vessel capacity, providing greater economies of scale,” said Maersk in a statement.
It will include 22 vessels on a two-loop arrangement, with one linking Busan in South Korea with ports in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, while the second connects Chiwan in China with five ports in Brazil (see full rotation below).
MSC and Maersk Line will each operate six vessels of 9,000 TEUs on Loop 1. MOL will operate ten vessels of 5,500 TEUs on Loop 2.
Ports of call on the Asia-South America loops
Loop 1: Busan (South Korea) - Shanghai (China) - Ningbo (China) - Chiwan (China) - Yantian (China) - Hong Kong (Hong Kong) - Singapore (Singapore) - Santos (Brazil) - Parangua (Brazil) - Buenos Aires (Argentina) -Montevideo (Uruguay) - Rio Grande (Brazil) - Paranagua (Brazil) - Santos (Brazil) - Coega (South Africa) - Singapore (Singapore) - Hong Kong (Hong Kong) - Busan (South Korea)
Loop 2: Chiwan (China) - Yantian (China) - Hong Kong (Hong Kong) - Singapore (Singapore) - Santos (Brazil) - Sepetiba (Brazil) - Itajai (Brazil) - Navegantes (Brazil) - Sao Francisco do Sul (Brazil) - Santos (Brazil) - Sepetiba (Brazil) - Capetown (South Africa) - Durban (South Africa) - Singapore (Singapore) - Chiwan (China)
