Grand Alliance adds swing to pendulum
The Grand Alliance says its pendulum service between Asia, North America and Europe will be improved from next month.
The alliance, grouping P&O Nedlloyd, Malaysia International Shipping Corp, NYK Line and Orient Overseas Container Line, said the Pacific Atlantic Express Service would call at a Panamanian port, providing a link between Asia and Central and South America. The new port rotation is Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Kobe, Nagoya, Seattle, Oakland, Panama port, Savannah, Norfolk, New York, Halifax, Antwerp, Thamesport, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Halifax, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Panama port, Los Angeles, Oakland, Yokohama, Kobe and Kaohsiung.
Changes to the Grand Alliance were completed in mid-April, and it is now improving its schedules.
Separately, P&O Nedlloyd, Alianca and Columbus Line have entered into an agreement to improve express services and increase access to Caribbean, South American and North American markets.
The agreement connects the three carriers' networks and will include vessel integration, cross-chartering of combined capacity and terminal co-operation.
The carriers will operate weekly express services connecting US Atlantic coast ports, including New York and Miami, with ports on the east coast of South America, using six vessels.
They also will operate a fortnightly service connecting US Gulf ports and Mexico with Panama, Colombia, Venezuela and ports on the east coast of South America, using four vessels.
The carriers, which plan to develop more services, will maintain separate marketing and customer service identity.
The carriers said the agreement would enable them to provide shippers with a seamless interchange from the point of origin to final destination.
