MOL won't go it alone on Asia/ECSA

Japanese carrier MOL said Monday it is suspending plans to start a standalone service from Asia to the East Coast of South America, and has instead revised the port rotation of its CSW service, which it operates with Singapore carrier PIL.

   MOL had announced the independent service in October, but a drastic fall in demand in the last quarter of 2008 waylaid those plans.

   In view of market demand decrease, we postponed the inauguration of the independent Asia/East Coast South America service and will continue the joint operation with Pacific International Line, the carrier said.

   The revised CSW service will see an added call westbound at Durban, South Africa, while Yantian, in South China, will be dropped. The new port rotation, effective immediately, is: Kobe, Yokohama, Nagoya, Pusan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Durban, Santos, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Paranagua, Sao Francisco Do Sul, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Singapore, Hong Kong and Kobe.

   Additionally, MOL said the added Durban call would allow it to suspend its South African Express (ZAX) service.

   MOL’s long term strategy of expanding in these promising trade lanes remains unchanged, said T.K. Konishi, MOL general manager of its liner division, in a statement. MOL remains committed to providing a full complement of options to our East Coast of South America trade and South Africa trade customers through our ongoing services. MOL’s commitment is also exemplified by our CX1 service that provides industry leading transit time to and from the Brazilian Amazon region.

Source: American Shipper