MSC signs deal with Premier Alliance, announces solo routing options

Geneva-based MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company announced a slot exchange cooperation with the Premier Alliance in Asia composed of HMM, Ocean Network Express (ONE) and Yang Ming.

"The cooperation will be effective from February 2025 onwards and cover Asia to North Europe and Asia to Mediterranean trades," says an official release.

MSC’s shipping line sails on more than 300 trade routes, calling at over 520 ports, the release added.

ONE, HMM and Yang Ming Marine Transportation (Yang Ming) announced that the three companies will continue to cooperate closely under Premier Alliance, effective for five years from February 2025.

Jeremy Nixon, CEO, ONE says: "We are very pleased to announce that our strategic partnership with HMM and Yang Ming in the East-West trades will be further continued. The close network collaboration that exists between the three companies will be further strengthened and enhanced under this new collaboration starting from February 2025. Collectively this new tripartite alliance will offer strong, reliable and highly dependable end-to-end direct port container services to its customers on both the Transpacific and Asia-Europe trades."

The new product lineup offers a wider selection of reliable and flexible services, along with enhanced global coverage with more than 80 direct port calls.

MSC goes alone from 2025
From February 2025 onwards, MSC will offer East/West solutions for customers, offering both Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope routing options, according to an official statement.

"The future standalone network will replace the current 2M VSA agreement that MSC has with Maersk on East/West trades. As from February 2025, MSC will provide an independent, competitive and complete network for East/West trades including:

*Five trades with 34 loops incorporating seven loops for Asia-North Europe, six loops for Asia-Mediterranean, four loops for Asia-North America West Coast, six loops for Asia-North America East Coast and 11 loops for the Transatlantic Network;

*Optionality of weekly services via Suez with more than 1,900 direct port pairs or the Cape of Good Hope with more than 1,800 direct port pairs."

Soren Toft, CEO, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company says: "We are delighted to reveal our future standalone East/West network for all clients. Customers will benefit from MSC’s unmatched connectivity and direct corridors, coupled with consistent high quality of service.

"With the addition of select slot swap agreements, we will provide complete coverage across all East/West routes. Furthermore, as we assume full operational control of our network, we can today offer clients both Suez and Cape of Good Hope routing options. This announcement represents an important milestone in the evolution of our global network and the vision of MSC’s founding family."

The 2025 East/West network and its options will not impact the tonnage or deployment for any other routes provided by MSC globally, the release added.