Our clients will be aware that some carriers are trying to avoid the Suez Canal

due to the extremely high transit costs. These toll charges can amount to as

much as USD 700,000 for a large container vessel.

The Grand Alliance consortium of Hapag Lloyd / NYK / OOCL / MISC, have just

announced that their Eastbound EU3 loop will now return to the Far East via the

Cape of Good Hope. They have joined CMA/CGM, MSC and Maersk, in routing

some of their vessels back to the Far East in this way – a voyage that can take 7

days longer than normal.

At present, all vessels taking this diversion are EASTBOUND – that is, on their

return voyage to the Far East. At the moment, no carrier has yet diverted any

westbound general cargo container vessel, due to the very sensitive transit time

issues that would probably cause a loss of business on the much larger inbound

trade.

The changes are having a significant impact on our longer term sailing

schedules, which are all being reviewed now. The diversion is causing the need

for carriers to add further ships into their loops, which has an impact on all

schedules. All inbound services will continue to operate with the same transit

times and routings, except that there might be sudden changes to the vessel

names that are making the voyage on the advertised dates.

Please keep in close contact with your local WT office for specific information on

vessel schedules.

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