HAMBURG: September 26, 2018. Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express, and Yang Ming have struck up a strategic cooperation with CMA-CGM, COSCO, and OOCL to enhance their Mediterranean-US East Coast service Atlantic 6 (AL6).

The liner companies say the aim is to deliver a more efficient and comprehensive service quality.

The improved service is consolidating the AL6 service (operated by Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express and Yang Ming), and the Amerigo service (operated by COSCO, CMA- CGM and OOCL) into one larger loop with a deployment of six 8,000-TEU vessels (three by Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express, and Yang Ming and the remaining by CMA-CGM and OOCL).

The newly designed port rotation for the service will be La Spezia – Genoa – Fos – Barcelona – Valencia – New York – Norfolk – Savannah – Miami – Algeciras – La Spezia.

Livorno will no longer be covered by the enhanced Mediterranean – U.S. East Coast Service. However, Hapag-Lloyd, Ocean Network Express and Yang Ming will be able to offer services via Livorno on a redesigned ZIM-operated AL7 service in due course, which is part of the continuing cooperation between THE Alliance and ZIM.

The partnership with CMA-CGM, COSCO, and OOCL is slated to begin in December 2018, subject to regulatory approval.

In a separate announcement, Hapag-Lloyd will operate four 1,700 TEU vessels on a new weekly 'Dakar Express' Service from November 25 from Antwerp and Dunkerque via Lisbon and Tangier to Dakar with a return via Nouakchott and Leixoes, Porto.