As tariffs loom, front-loading will be the key trend for US container trade
US container trade trends were in rude health in 2024, and the second Trump administration ...
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The Premier Alliance members, HMM, ONE and Yang Ming, have announced their inaugural sailing network for services across the Asia-Europe, transpacific and Asia-Middle East main trades.
The network comprises 24 services, with the alliance’s maiden voyage set for 2 February from Xingang to Abu Qir on the MD3 service.
Its first full rotation is scheduled for completion on 1 March in Vancouver by the PN3 service from Singapore.
While most of its services will begin in February, the Premier carriers notified customers that the PS5 and PN4 services would be postponed until May, a “temporary suspension due to the winter plan”, according to ONE.
Before May, Yang Ming and HMM said they would “enhance service coverage with additional port calls on PS4, PS6 and PN3”. The PS4 service will see the addition of Ningbo, the PS6 will now stop at Qingdao and the PN3 will see Ningbo and Shanghai as additional port calls.
ONE said today: “As we transition to the Premier Alliance, we are committed to minimising any potential disruptions and ensuring a seamless service to meet your shipping needs across these key global trade routes.
“We will also make the details of the final sailings for THE Alliance services available as soon as possible.”
THE Alliance comprised the Premier Alliance members plus Hapag-Lloyd, which announced it would leave the grouping to forge the Gemini Cooperation with Danish carrier Maersk, launching in February.
The remaining members then re-named the group as the Premier Alliance.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese shipping line Wan Hai has announced a new transpacific service for February, connecting Asia to the US west coast.
Its PS6 is a slot exchange cooperation with ONE, which CEO of Vespucci Maritime Lars Jensen said “de-facto means that Wan Hai is onboard Premier Alliance on this service”.
The service covers Shanghai, Ningbo, Long Beach, Oakland, Shanghai, Ningbo.
Wan Hai’s AP1 service will also undergo a rotation adjustment “in order to provide Vietnam, South China and Taiwan customers with better transit time”.
From February its rotation will be Haiphong-Cai Mep-Shekou-Xiamen-Taipei-Los Angeles-Oakland-Shekou-Haiphong.
“Wan Hai Lines is confident the new PS6 and AP1 service adjustment will provide customers with even better service quality to the USWC,” it said.
Listen to this clip from The Loadstar Podcast to hear Podcast Editor, Mike King, speaking to Chief Analyst at Xeneta, Peter Sand, about where container lines will invest in 2025:
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