North Atlantic Service News

Container shipping line and global carrier, United Arab Shipping Company has entered into a vessel sharing agreement with CMA CGM and Hamburg Süd to enter the North Atlantic trade. The vessel sharing agreement will see the three partner companies operate a service that links North Europe with the United States East Coast, calling at the ports of Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Le Havre, Southampton, New York, Norfolk, Charleston and Savannah. The service will offer competitive transit times and a weekly capacity allocation of 3,300 teu. The new service will start in May. UASC says that the move into the North Europe - North America trade marks an important step in the expansion of UASC’s global network.

After delivery from Karstensens Shipyard, Denmark, the second Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) for the Danish Greenland operation entered official command under the Royal Danish Navy on 16 January. The vessel, which has been named Ejnar Mikkelsen (P571), is built for a wide range of arctic and coastal operations, like its predecessor. The newbuilding is expected to enter North Atlantic service at the end of February 2009 and follows the first vessel, Knud Rasmussen (P570), which was commissioned into the Royal Danish Navy on 18 February 2008.

Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)announced that the company now offers new direct service to West Mediterranean ports in addition to its existing North Atlantic Service. This service is being operated using five 1200 TEU capacity vessels on a weekly basis. Valencia, Naples, La Spezia and returning to Boston. moving to and from Western Europe," said Nicola Arena, president of MSC (USA) Inc. Gulf to North Europe; plus their Atlantic service to the Western Mediterranean out of Charleston. Mediterranean areas (via Relay Service) can be accommodated. available between U.S. Mexico and the Caribbean. While the company's North Atlantic to Europe vessels will not stop in Freeport…