Maersk to take slots on UASC's India-Mideast-Med loop

MAERSK Line is offering an India-Mideast service to the western Med through a slot swap with United Arab Shipping Company, reports Alphaliner News of Paris.

This will take place on UASC's Asia-Med-USA pendulum (MINA) service operated with Hanjin, and to be branded ME-2 by Maersk. The ME-2 will cover Valencia, Genoa, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Port Qasim, Nhava Sheva, Jeddah, Genoa, Barcelona and back to Valencia.

The first ME-2 sailing will be the Hanjin Rio de Janeiro from Nhava Sheva on September 19. Alphaliner said it is not yet known which Maersk service is in the slot exchange though the Danish line covers its side of the Med-Mideast-India route with its ME-3 service.

UASC's MINA faces other changes with plans to extend it to the Far East. The full MINA rotation is now Nhava Sheva, Jeddah, Port Said, Cagliari, La Spezia, Genoa, Barcelona, Valencia, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Valencia, Genoa, Port Said, Jeddah, Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Port Qasim and back to Nhava Sheva.

(Source: www.schednet.com)