Asian trio launch Middle East service

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Hong Kong: The Asian trio of Orient Overseas Container Line, COSCO Container Lines and NYK’s intra-Asia subsidiary Tokyo Senpaku Kaisha will operate a new joint service, the Middle East Express (MEX). The first of five vessels with an average loadable capacity of 6,500 teu will leave Shanghai, China May 17. OOCL and COSCON will provide two vessels each and TSK Line will provide one vessel.
Port rotation is as follows: Shanghai / Ningbo / Hong Kong / Shekou / Singapore / Jebel Ali / Dammam / Singapore / Hong Kong / Shanghai.
The new service will replace the current Middle East Asia Express service operated by OOCL and TSK Line, which operates five vessels with a loadable capacity of around 5,000 teu. [11/05/09]