The member lines of the
Grand Alliance (GA) in the Transpacific trade - Hapag-Lloyd, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), and The New World Alliance (TNWA) - APL,
Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd (MOL) - recently announced that from August 2006 they will commence an Asia-U.S. East Coast service via the Panama Canal. Each alliance will contribute ships with capacity of approximately 3,500 TEU per vessel to a weekly service that will operate on a 56-day rotation.
In Asia, the ports of Shanghai, Chiwan, Shekou, and Hong Kong will be served, while Norfolk and Savannah will be called in the U.S. The Panamanian port of Manzanillo will be served on the eastbound leg.
For both alliances, this new service will be the third all-water offering through the Panama Canal, in addition to the PAX and ECN services for the GA and the APX and NYX services for TNWA.