Mediterranean Shipping joins TSA

Mediterranean Shipping Co.(MSC), which operates as an independent carrier in many trades, said it will join the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement discussion agreement for container carriers serving the eastbound transpacific trade.

MSC is the world's second-largest container line, operating 326 ships with a combined ship capacity of 1.06 million TEUs.

It offers three scheduled transpacific service strings, with additional intra-Asia feeder services.

Its announcement comes on the heels of a decision by CMA CGM -- the world's third-largest container carrier -- to join TSA in January.

TSA said the carrier would join TSA, effective sometime in mid-May once a 45-day filing notification period with the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission has concluded.

TSA members are American President Lines(APL), CMA CGM, COSCO Container Lines, Evergreen, Hanjin Shipping, Hapag Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine(HMM), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, NYK Line, OOCL and Yang Ming.