News / HMM launches 'extra loaders' to help Asian exporters as CNY looms

South Korean flagship liner operator HMM is launching “extra loader” Asia-North Europe and -Mediterranean sailings to make up for the tonnage shortfall resulting from vessels being diverted from the Red Sea.

The ad hoc sailings will begin on Monday (15 January), with a panamax vessel leaving Busan for the Med, picking up containers from Shanghai, Ningbo and Singapore. Two other panamax vessels, all of 4,000 to 6,000 teu, will follow on 29 January and 4 February, respectively.

Just one extra Asia-North Europe sailing is planned, with an 11,000 teu ship setting out next Thursday (18 January).

HMM told The Loadstar: “Deploying these extra loaders is to assist our customers and expedite sluggish container flows directly impacted by the geopolitical issues in the Red Sea area.”

The carrier, like many of its peers, has rerouted ships from the Suez Canal route round the Cape of Good Hope to avoid the threat of attacks from Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. The detours have increased Asia-Europe voyage times by 15 days, delaying tonnage.

HMM told The Loadstar the ad hoc sailings were independent of THE Alliance services catering for Asian exporters rushing to get goods out before Chinese New Year next month.

The spokesperson added that the ships on these sailings were taken from the carrier’s other services, with no significant compromise on the reliability of those services.