Feature, Freight News, Sea

Evergreen goes into an alliance at last: Updated

[ February 20, 2014   //   Chris ]

Evergreen, one of the last major shipping lines to operate independently, is to join in an alliance with four other lines. The Taiwanese operator, together with Cosco, K Line, Yangming and Hanjin will set up the CKYHE Alliance which will operate only on trades between Asia and Europe, including the Mediterranean.

The lines intend to formally begin the new Alliance on 1 March, subject to compliance with the relevant regulations and it will start operations in mid April with six joint services between Asia and Northern Europe and four loops on the Asia-Mediterranean route.

The lines’ say that customers will benefit from faster transit times and more frequent sailings, as well as helping to reduce environmental impact. The new alliance will continue to slow steam and to reduce CO2 emissions.

In response, the European Shippers Council said that freedom of choice for customers of container shipping lines must remain key and individual deep sea carriers must continue to distinguish themselves on price, service and routings. ESC points out that Evergreen’s decision to join the CKYH Alliance leaves the market with just three alliances, if the rival P3 alliance is allowed to go ahead. Combined, the three major alliances directly control over 70% of global container vessel capacity, it points out.

Tags: . Yangming, CKYHE, Cosco, Evergreen, Hanjin, K Line