WHILE the AE2 container shipping service is suspended, Maersk Line will offer its Asia to Felixstowe, UK shippers a feeder alternative via its Suez Canal container terminal at Port Said.
According to Alphaliner, Maersk will provide a weekly AE2 shuttle from the Port Said hub that will be operated by three 2,500-2,800 TEU ships, with the first sailing scheduled to depart on October 29.
The final sailing of the 2M's AE2/Swan loop before its suspension was on September 19 from Qingdao, and the 20,568 TEU Maastricht Maersk is due to reach Felixstowe on October 26, reported London's The Loadstar vessels.
2M partners Maersk and MSC temporarily suspended the service 'to match reduced demand' due to China's Golden Week holiday. Originally the suspension was scheduled to begin from week 40, but was brought forward a week on account of soft bookings.
According to Alphaliner, the suspension of the AE2/Swan loop is expected to last 10 weeks, resuming on November 29 with the sailing of the world's largest box ship, the 23,656 TEU MSC Isabella, from Qingdao - 'provided that market demand recovers'.
Until the AE2/Swan loop is reactivated, the 2M has added an Antwerp call to the AE10/Silk service, with containers destined for Felixstowe transshipped from the Belgian hub to the UK by feeder.
According to The Loadstar's calculations, the transit time from Port Said to Felixstowe will be 13 days, based on a slow-steaming speed of 10 knots.
WORLD SHIPPING
According to Alphaliner, Maersk will provide a weekly AE2 shuttle from the Port Said hub that will be operated by three 2,500-2,800 TEU ships, with the first sailing scheduled to depart on October 29.
The final sailing of the 2M's AE2/Swan loop before its suspension was on September 19 from Qingdao, and the 20,568 TEU Maastricht Maersk is due to reach Felixstowe on October 26, reported London's The Loadstar vessels.
2M partners Maersk and MSC temporarily suspended the service 'to match reduced demand' due to China's Golden Week holiday. Originally the suspension was scheduled to begin from week 40, but was brought forward a week on account of soft bookings.
According to Alphaliner, the suspension of the AE2/Swan loop is expected to last 10 weeks, resuming on November 29 with the sailing of the world's largest box ship, the 23,656 TEU MSC Isabella, from Qingdao - 'provided that market demand recovers'.
Until the AE2/Swan loop is reactivated, the 2M has added an Antwerp call to the AE10/Silk service, with containers destined for Felixstowe transshipped from the Belgian hub to the UK by feeder.
According to The Loadstar's calculations, the transit time from Port Said to Felixstowe will be 13 days, based on a slow-steaming speed of 10 knots.
WORLD SHIPPING