Correction: Ocean Carrier Service Changes: Impact on USA imports by trade lane
Please be advised that THE Alliance MPS service has not been officially cancelled. The service is suspended for at least the next two sailings and we are awaiting further information from ocean carriers if further vessel or services changes will be forthcoming. See below details.
Mediterranean service to US West Coast – “The Alliance” MPS cancelled for next 2 sailings.
The ocean carrier operational network “The Alliance” (Hapag-Lloyd, ONE, Yang Ming, HMM) has announced the cancellation of the MPS service for the next two sailings only, for vessels MV Synergy Antwerp and MV Rotterdam Express.
The MPS service connects freight from West Mediterranean ports to US West Coast via a trans-shipment service in Mexico. Not only does this directly cut capacity, but also this leaves US West Coast importers only with one carrier, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for this routing in the interim.
As per Hapag-Lloyd, any current cargo bound to Long Beach and Oakland will discharge at Norfolk and move via rail to the original port of discharge. If cargo does not meet rail conditions, it will be routed via transshipment at Cartagena Colombia.
View MPS service update information on Hapag’s website here.
South America to USA – “The Alliance” MPS service cancelled for next 2 sailings
Services from Chile (and Argentinean freight routed via Chilean ports) are also affected by the MPS cancellation on the next two sailings as the trans-shipment in Mexico previously would pick up South America cargo going northbound to the US. This leaves only MSC as a viable service northbound from South America in the interm.
North Europe service to Boston
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has previously offered a Boston direct call via a feeder service with a transshipment in North Europe. Due to growing order demand from the Indian subcontinent, they are changing the service routing. The MSC service will trans-ship in Sines, Portugal instead of North Europe. Sines is already the trans-shipment point for US West Coast service and now will also be used for Boston. The good news is that shipments from Portugal will not have to trans-ship in North Europe, but Sines is a smaller capacity port so prepare for delays due to congestion there.
Mediterranean service to US East Coast / AL6 Service changes
The Atlantic Loop 6 (AL6) service from the Mediterranean to the US East Coast will undergo some changes coming up in May 2022. Instead of a weekly service to US East Coast, the string will call New York every other week, and on the alternate weeks call Norfolk, Savannah and Miami.
View AL6 service change announcement here
These ocean carrier changes are coming in with little to no advance notification making it difficult to adjust pending loads, evaluate alternatives or adjust lead times on new bookings. For more information, please reach out to your Hillebrand representative.