The 2M alliance of Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) has announced a new trans-Pacific trade service following the filing of receivership by bankrupt Hanjin Shipping that has seen its ships stranded at sea.
Maersk Line said its new offering, the TP1 service, will ply the trade between Asia and the U.S. West Coast to complement the carrier’s existing product portfolio on the trans-Pacific.
“We are responding to increased demand in the Transpacific. With supply chains disrupted, many customers are approaching us for transport solutions for their cargo. The TP1 service is a stable, long-term solution to meet our customers’ needs,” said Klaus Rud Sejling, head of Maersk Line’s East-West Network.
The TP1 service will be part of the 2M network and has its first sailing scheduled for September 15.
It will be calling Yantian, Shanghai, Busan, and Los Angeles/Long Beach, deploying every week six vessels with a capacity of 4,000 TEUs.
MSC, meanwhile, is introducing its Maple service “to assist our customers, following the announcement by Hanjin on 31st August that it was entering into receivership.”
The Maple service starts on September 15 and will have a port rotation of Busan, Shanghai, Yantian, Prince Rupert, and Busan. The service will be made up of six vessels having 5,000-TEU capacity.
“In order to cover the anticipated high initial demand, the first two sailings will call Yantian, Shanghai, Busan, Long Beach,” said MSC.
