MISC splits from partners on Asia-SA trade

Three lines will split their current partnership on the Asia- SA trade from early March – with two remaining together in a vessel-sharing consortium and one going it alone on the trade. Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) and Pacific International Lines (PIL), have announced they will continue their joint weekly service from March. Their current joint service with MISC Berhad (MISC) will be dissolved at the same time. This weekly service will then be restructured with seven vessels of 3 300-3 800-TEU capacity, five of which will be deployed by K Line and two by PIL. Port rotation will be: Shanghai-Ningbo-Kaohsiung- Shekou-Hong Kong-Singapore- Port Kelang-Durban-Cape Town-Port Kelang-Singapore- Hong Kong-Shanghai. Rennies Ships Agency act on behalf of both lines in SA. At the same time, MISC Berhad will introduce its own dedicated Asia/SA service. “The new service rotation,” said the line, “will include the Port of Tanjung Pelepas plus other Association of SE and Asian Nations (Asean) outports and provide customers with significant additional capacity.” MISC has decided the time is appropriate to further upgrade its presence in this market. Towards the end of last year the line started upgrading its SA organisation and told FTW that the next step would be to add improved coverage of the Asean market connectivity to SA. While leaving the longstanding ASA consortium – in which it was with K Line and PIL – MISC expects to continue co-operation with the two lines on the trade through slot exchanges, it added.