MSC to extend sub-Saharan Africa loop beyond Shanghai to Tianjin
Sources of information: Qingdao Jinhan International Logistics
Date Time: 2015-02-03
THE Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) has announced it will extend its sub-Saharan Africa Express to go beyond its present Shanghai limit and turn around at Tianjin instead.
This lengthens MSC's Africa Express service rotation to 11 weeks and involves the addition of an 11th ship in the 4,000-8,500 TEU range, reports Alphaliner.
The amended rotation is Tianjin, Shanghai, Ningbo, Guangzhou-Nansha, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Singapore, Port Louis, Cape Town, Lome, Ngqura, Singapore, Tianjin (aka Xingang) starting with first sailing from Tianjin of the 4,444-TEU Catherine Rickmers on January 28.
Lome which acts as MSC's regional hub for West Africa, is currently the only port in the area that can handle 8,000-TEUers.
MSC has started to phase in such vessels into the Africa Express loop with the sailing of the 8,500-TEU Serpja Enam from Shanghai on December 25. Asecond ship of this size, the 8,530-TEU Navarinao, is planned to join later this month
