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Smaller Carriers Crowd trans-Pacific
Wan Hai, Pacific International Lines, Zim Integrated Shipping Services, and new trans-Pacific carrier SM Line are revamping strings or launching new services across the Pacific from April, the same month the new Ocean Alliance and THE Alliance start their operations and go head-to-head with the 2M Alliance and strategic partner Hyundai Merchant Marine.
The carriers are planning to capitalize on growing US containerized imports that IHS Markit
Maritime & Trade senior economist Mario Moreno expects to expand 4 to 5 percent in 2017,
reaching a new peak of approximately 21.4 million twenty-foot-equivalent units, mainly because of stronger economic growth. US real GDP is forecast to grow 2.3 percent this year after expanding by only 1.6 percent in 2016.
PIL and Wan Hai will revamp their two Asia-US West Coast strings, which will be jointly operated with Cosco Shipping Lines, according to Alphaliner. The two strings will cover the Pacific Southwest market, with one string focused on North and Central China using six ships of 6,500 TEUs, and the second string calling on South China with six ships of 7,500 TEUs.
Eight of the 12 ships on these two loops will be deployed by PIL and Wan Hai, with Cosco
providing the remaining four, the analyst said. The two strings will be operated outside of the Ocean Alliance network, of which Cosco is a member along with CMA CGM, Evergreen Line, and Orient Overseas Container Line.
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