The largest container shipping companies continue to update their schedules, as they are forced to make service adjustments and omit many sailings.
As the coronavirus situation keeps destabilising the maritime industry, the shipping carriers will continue to implement blank sailings, as there is no other option.
MSC has announced the temporary suspension of two services and a plethora of sailing omissions.
The Swiss firm will temporarily suspend its Orient service during the second quarter of 2020, effective from week 17.
Orient service
The first vessel to stop its rotation is the Maersk Antares voyage 017N, ETS 21/04/2020, which rotates as follows: Qingdao – Shanghai – Ningbo – Busan – Long Beach – Oakland
MSC will also temporarily suspend its Elephant service during the second quarter of 2020, effective from week 16.
Elephant service
The first vessel blanking is Maersk Semakau voyage 017W, ETS 18/04/2020, which rotates as follows: Laem Chabang – Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Colombo – Salalah – New York – Norfolk – Savannah – Freeport
In addition, the second-largest shipping company will implement the below ad-hoc sailing omissions for the following services and weeks:
Elephant service
Omit week 14 MV BRIGHTON voyage 015W, ETS 4 April 2020
Rotation: Laem Chabang – Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Colombo – Salalah – New York – Norfolk – Savannah – Freeport
Emerald service
Omit week 17 CPO HAMBURG voyage UL017E, ETS 18 April 2020
Omit week 21 TBN 21E voyage UL021E, ETS 16 May 2020
Rotation: Singapore – Xiamen – Yantian – Shanghai – Busan – Savannah – Norfolk – Charleston
Amberjack service
Omit week 19 TBN voyage 02E, ETS 7 May 2020
Omit week 23 CAPE TAINARA voyage 6E, ETS 6 June 2020
Rotation: Xingang – Qingdao – Ningbo – Shanghai – Busan – Kingston – Savannah – Charleston – Wilmington – Jacksonville
Pelican service
Omit week 16 TBN voyage 016E, ETS 18 April 2020
Rotation: Xiamen – Yantian – Busan – Houston – Mobile – Tampa
NEAUTL4
Omit Week 16 Blanking vessel WIDE BRAVO, voyage 013E, ETA Antwerp 12 April 2020
Rotation: Antwerp – Rotterdam – Bremerhaven – Liverpool – New York – Savannah – Port Everglades – Charleston
NEAUTL1
Omit Week 17 Blanking vessel MAERSK MONTANA voyage 017W, ETA Antwerp 19 April 2020, Rotation: Antwerp – Rotterdam – Bremerhaven – Norfolk – Charleston – Houston
Additional blank sailings on other services may be announced during the coming weeks, depending on market demand, said MSC.
Moreover, Hapag-Lloyd has implemented the following void sailing on the Joint Caribbean Service (JCS) from Far East:
At the same time, Maersk has decided to cover both South and West Africa markets with one consolidated service (MESAWA) due to a significant reduction in demand from Indian Subcontinent and Middle East to South and West Africa.
The new rotation of MESAWA will be: Jebel Ali – Mundra – Jawaharlal Nehru – Colombo – Durban – Point Noire –Tema – Cotonou – Apapa -Tin Can Island – Port Elizabeth – Durban – Jebel Ali
- The first vessel with a Durban Westbound call will be ALS Flora voyage 013W with ETA 17 April.
- The first vessel with a Durban Eastbound call will be Hammonia America voyage 006W with ETD 10 April.
In addition, the Danish shipping giant will make two blank sailings on MESAWA service during April, the first will be from Jebel Ali week 14 (ETD Jebel Ali 1 April) and 16 (ETD Jebel Ali 14 April).
Furthermore, APL has announced that due to a delay in the schedule of Eagle Express (EX1) the vessel, President Wilson (0DB6RE1PL), will be omitting its upcoming Qingdao call for schedule recovery.
| Vessel Voyage | Omitted Port | Port Rotation |
|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT WILSON (0DB6RE1PL) |
Qingdao, China ETA 1 April 2020 |
Yokohama – Naha – Busan –Â |
As a result of the port omission, the following contingency plans will be implemented:
Contingency plans for EX1 – PRESIDENT WILSON
- Qingdao imports to be discharged in Busan and loaded on EX1 vessel voyage PRESIDENT CLEVELAND (0DB6TE1PL) ETA Qingdao 8 April 2020
- Qingdao exports to be loaded on onto next EX1 vessel voyage PRESIDENT CLEVELAND (0DB6TE1PL) ETA Los Angeles 26 April 2020
