THEA and Wan Hai suspend Far East – Red Sea loop
THEA and Wan Hai suspend Far East – Red Sea loop
Members of THE Alliance, including Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express, Yang Ming, along with Wan Hai Lines, have decided to temporarily suspend their joint Far East – Red Sea service known as ‘AR1’. This decision is prompted by safety concerns and the ongoing threats to commercial navigation in the Red Sea.
The partners have expressed their intention to resume the ‘AR1’ service as soon as conditions in the Red Sea are deemed safe again for crews, vessels, and cargoes. Currently, three ships with capacities ranging from 5,600 to 6,660 TEU are completing their final voyages on the loop.
Wan Hai’s 5,608 TEU WAN HAI 613 is sailing from Jeddah to Singapore through the Gulf of Aden, while Yang Ming’s 6,588 TEU YM MUTUALITY is en route from Singapore to Suez via the Cape of Good Hope. ONE’s 6,661 TEU ONE THESEUS is scheduled to conclude its last westbound trip this week in Singapore. The 6,258 TEU YM MODERATION phased out on January 19.
Hapag-Lloyd, although not a vessel provider on this service, had a slot allocation on the ships of its partners. ONE has informed clients that cargo booked on ships ending their voyages in Singapore will be transshipped to Valencia or Damietta via THEA’s Asia – Med loop ‘MD1’.
Hapag-Lloyd has informed customers that it is working on alternative routes to serve the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden ports. The German operator is considering a land bridge solution from Jebel Ali, Dammam, and Jubail to Jeddah for standard dry containers. The shipping line mentioned that while this is not the optimal solution in terms of capacity, it will provide another option for current transit times, especially where alternative routings become excessively long.
Source: Alphaliner
