Grand Alliance announces Winter Program to their US West Coast Services

Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd (HL), Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), have agreed to a Winter Program to their US West Coast services.

The service adjustments are intended to take effect as from end of December, 2009 and will continue at least throughout the winter period. These service changes have been made to ensure continuation of the service network by adjusting capacity to seasonal demand.

The Central China Express (CCX) service will be temporary replaced by a combined service with the Northwest Express (NWX) service. In the newly combined loop, the Grand Alliance will provide a total of six vessels between 6,200 and 7,600 TEU.

The port rotation of the NWX during Winter Program will be as follows:
Ningbo / Shanghai / Qingdao / Pusan / Seattle (for Discharge) / Vancouver (for Discharge) / Los Angels / Seattle (for Loading) / Vancouver (for Loading) / Tokyo / Nagoya / Kobe / Pusan / Ningbo
In addition to the above, the Super Shuttle Express (SSX) will provide enhanced coverage including a new call at Shanghai. Grand Alliance will maintain provision of five 7,600 TEU vessels.

The new port rotation of the SSX during Winter Program will be as follows:
Shekou / Yantian / Hong Kong / Kaohsiung / Shanghai / Long Beach / Kaohsiung / Xiamen / Hong Kong / Shekou

The Grand Alliance, formed in 1998, is a leading integrated consortium in global container shipping. Its members are presently Hapag-Lloyd (Germany), NYK (Japan), OOCL (Hong Kong), and MISC Berhad (Malaysia). MISC will withdraw from the Grand Alliance as of January 1, 2010 and is therefore not mentioned in this agreement. <Korea Shipping Gazette>