Israeli container line Zim is stepping up its cooperation with the 2M Alliance following news this week that South Korea's HMM is leaving.
The boxship company said it is launching two new direct services between Asia and the US Gulf as part of its collaboration with Maersk Line and MSC.
The first string is called Zim US Gulf Central China Xpress (ZGC), which uses 10 6,500-teu vessels.
Port rotation is Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan (Panama Canal Transit), Houston, Mobile, Miami, Freeport, (Panama Canal Transit), Araijan and Busan.
The first sailing will be from Ningbo on 18 August.
The second loop is the Zim US Gulf South China Xpress (ZGX), deploying 10 4,500-teu ships.
Calls are Xiamen, Yantian, Busan (Panama Canal Transit), Houston, Mobile, Tampa, Manzanillo, (Panama Canal Transit), Balboa and Busan.
It debuts on 16 August from Xiamen.
Third phase of cooperation
CEO Eli Glickman added: "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."
HMM said on Monday it would cease to be a 2M associate member next April when its contract expires.
It is joining rival THE Alliance, comprising Germany's Hapag-Lloyd, the NYK, K Line and MOL joint venture Ocean Network Express (ONE), and Taiwan's Yang Ming Marine Transportation.
A new cooperation deal between 2M and Zim in 2018 was seen as reducing HMM's status further, sources said earlier this year.
They also claimed 2M was unhappy about HMM's 20-ship order at South Korea's big three yards.
Zim's new deal follows previous agreements between Asia and the US east coast, operating since September 2018, and in the Asia to Pacific North West and Asia to Mediterranean trades since March this year.
Nissim Yochai, Zim's EVP for the Pacific trade, said: “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.”
