ZIM announced yesterday (Jul03) further expansion of its Strategic Cooperation with the members of the 2M Alliance, Maersk & MSC, to the Asia - US Gulf Trade. The new agreement includes two new strings:
ZGC - ZIM US Gulf Central China Xpress - 10x6500 TEU vessels with the following rotation:
Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, (Panama Canal Transit), Houston, Mobile, Miami, Freeport, (Panama Canal Transit), Araijan, Busan.
First Sailing: Ningbo, August 18th.*
ZGX - ZIM US Gulf South China Xpress - 10x4500 TEU vessels with the following rotation:
Xiamen, Yantian, Busan, (Panama Canal Transit), Houston, Mobile, Tampa, Manzanillo, (Panama Canal Transit), Balboa, Busan.
First Sailing: Xiamen August 16th.*
The new services, catering for both Central and South China and South Korea, offer significant advantages for customers, including direct connections to major ports in Asia and the US Gulf; best-in-market transit time with reliable dedicated service; Two weekly cutoffs in Houston & Mobile to better serve growing US exports requirements.
Eli Glickman, ZIM President and CEO said: "This is the third phase of our tightening cooperation with the 2M Alliance, now extending to four major trades. I'm confident in our strategy, which gains momentum while our customers reap the benefits!"
Nissim Yochai, ZIM EVP Pacific Trade: “We are very pleased to further strengthen our portfolio and enhance our strategic cooperation with the 2M Alliance on this important trade, in which ZIM will be a vessel operator. The two new lines offer better port coverage in the growing US Gulf market, excellent transit time both for Imports and Exports together with our ZIM’s signature premium customer service.”
The new cooperation follows previous agreements in the Asia - US East Coast, operating since September 2018, and on the Asia - Pacific North West and the Asia - Mediterranean Trades, operating since March 2019.
* Subject to regulatory approval
Source: ZIM