2M adapts Asia – Europe network to Red Sea situation

In view of the persistently unsafe sailing conditions in the Red Sea, MSC and Maersk who currently both avoid the area, have decided to implement some changes in their joint 2M East – West network.
All Asia – Europe services will continue to be routed via the Cape of Good Hope and some rotations will be optimized in early February to take into account diversions via South Africa.

The main changes will see the Far East – North Europe ‘AE55 / Griffin’ loop start carrying European export cargo to the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent via transshipment in Colombo (new
call), while the port rotation of the Asia – Med ‘AE11 / Jade’ service will be altered with Valencia becoming the first port of call in South Europe.
The Mediterranean rotation of the MSC-operated ‘AE11 / Jade’ service’s now takes in Valencia, Barcelona, Gioia Tauro and Tanger Med.

Before this change, the fourteen ‘megamax’ vessels deployed on this loop used to sail directly from Qingdao, Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Nansha, Yantian and Singapore to Port Said first, before
continuing to Gioia Tauro, Barcelona and Valencia as fourth port of call in the Med.

The rotation of the revised ‘AE55 / Griffin’, which is operated by MSC ships of 16,500 – 24,100 teu, meanwhile now reads: Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Tanjung Pelepas, Felixstowe, Rotterdam, Le Havre,
Tanger Med, Colombo (new), Singapore, Shanghai.

It is no surprise that all wayport calls of 2M’s Asia – Europe loops at Jeddah or King Abdullah Port are dropped.

Despite the deviation via Cape of Good Hope however, the Far East – North Europe ‘AE7 / Condor’ and the Far East – East Med ‘AE15 / Tiger’ loops will continue to call at Khalifa Seaport (Abu Dhabi) and Jebel Ali in the Middle East on their eastbound return voyage from Europe to Asia.

Source: Alphaliner