HMM announces that it launches a new Asia-North Europe Express (AEX) service in April. HMM opens a new Asia-North Europe loop in accordance with the increased demand for Express Service.
AEX is an independent service operated by HMM outside of the strategic cooperation with 2M. In the meantime, HMM has utilised 2M’s vessel space in Europe trade. Last year, HMM’s handling volume dramatically increased to 4.03 million TEU, up more than 30% y.o.y mainly in Asia, US and Europe trades.
Offering faster connections
HMM will deploy ten Panamax (4,600 teu) vessels in AEX service and its first sailing begins on April 8th. Port rotation of the new service is Pusan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Kaohsiung, Shenzhen, Singapore, Colombo, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Southampton, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Pusan.
AEX also offers faster connections among main calling ports with transit times
AEX also offers faster connections among main calling ports with transit times: Busan – Rotterdam (30days), Busan – Hamburg (32days), Shanghai – Rotterdam (28days), and Shanghai – Hamburg (30days). In addition, HMM plans to order new eco-friendly mega containerships in the 1st half of 2018 to comply with the new environmental regulation starting from 1st January 2020, and positively considers deploying mega vessels in US and Europe services.
Competitive market environments
C.K. Yoo, CEO of HMM, commented that “New environmental regulations are expected to drive changes not only to the shipping industry but also to competitive market environments. I believe that HMM can secure competitiveness in a global market after 2020, if HMM arms itself with eco-friendly mega containerships in preparation of environmental regulations.”
And that “The 2020 environmental regulation will be an important market-changing factor in shipping industry and the new independent AEX service will be the touchstone of a game-changer.”