The G6 Alliance is cancelling four sailings between Asia and Europe from July to August “in response to changes in market demand,” as the trade lane is well known to be suffering from plunging freight rates, overcapacity, and weakening trade.
It added that the group will continue to review its plans and that “further service adjustment” is possible.
The G6 Alliance statement comes in the heels of the Ocean 3 alliance’s own announcement of blank sailings on the same trade lane last month.
The G6 Alliance’s cancelled voyages begin with Loop 6 service in week 31, westbound ETA Kaohsiung July 31. The westbound Kaohsiung call and the eastbound Jebel Ali call will be added into Loop 7 in the week. The westbound Colombo and Nansha calls will be added into Loop 4 and the Fuzhou call will be added into Loop 5.
Also cancelled is Loop 7 service in week 32, westbound ETA Qingdao August 3. The westbound Qingdao call will be added into Loop 4 in the week, with the newly added Gdansk call being covered by Loop 5.
The third is Loop 4 service in week 33, westbound ETA Ningbo August 14. The westbound Le Havre call will be added into Loop 6 in the week.
Finally, Loop 5 service in week 34, westbound ETA Kwangyang August 21, has also been scratched off. The westbound Kwangyang and Pusan calls will be added into Loop 6.
The G6 Alliance members are APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, and Orient Overseas Container Line.
In mid-June, Ocean 3 partners United Arab Shipping Company, China Shipping Container Lines, and CMA CGM said they were canceling a dozen trips on the Asia-Europe lane from late June to mid-September 2015.
The new blank program of Ocean 3—effective from week 27 to week 38 for a total of 12 sailings—began June 29 and will last through to September 14.
