MSC adds 2 calls, 2 ships to its Asia-Mideast-Med Falcon run

GENEVA's Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) will extend its Falcon service between Asia and the Middle-East to the Med from April 12 with the sailing of the MSC Clementina from Salalah.

To retain weekly service, the New Falcon loop will add two ships to the six 2,500-TEU vessels to include calls at Gioia Tauro and Valencia.

The revised rotation will be Singapore, Bandar Abbas, Jebel Ali, Damman, Jubail, Jebel Ali, Salalah, Gioia Tauro, Valencia, Salalah, Colombo and back to Singapore.

This is the second service between Asia and the Middle-East to be extended to Europe, reported Containerisation International, the first being UASC's AGX1 service, which reportedly will become a re-instated AEC1 service to north Europe.

According to MDS Transmodal, cargo growth from Asia to the Middle-East and south Asia is expected to increase 16.2 per cent to 4.7 million TEU this year and 25.7 per cent to 1.5 million TEU on the return leg.

From the Mideast-south Asia to Europe, volume is expected to rise 2.5 per cent to 1.4 million TEU and increase 3.6 per cent to 2.2 million TEU on the return leg.

The Shanghai Containerised Freight Index posts the average spot rate from Shanghai to Dubai on April 9 was set at US$705 per TEU, seven per cent higher than in mid-October. From Shanghai to the western Med, it was 44 per cent higher at $1,846 per TEU.

(Source: www.schednet.com)