MSC Restructures Far East-North Europe Network: 3 Routes Adjusted Amid Port Congestion
Publish Time: 2025-07-18 Origin: Site
Route-Specific Changes
Swan Service (Far East–Scandinavia):
Eastbound: Drops Antwerp; adds Felixstowe (UK).
Vessels: 16 x 13,800–16,650 TEU ships.
New Rotation:
Ningbo → Shanghai → Xiamen → Yantian → Singapore → Sines → Le Havre → Rotterdam → Gothenburg → Aarhus → Hamburg → Felixstowe → Port Klang → Singapore → Chiwan → Busan → Ningbo.
Britannia Service (Far East–Baltic):
Eastbound: Drops Antwerp; retains westbound call.
New Ports: Adds Nansha (replaces Ningbo) and Colombo (replaces Mundra).
Fleet: 16 x 13,800–16,600 TEU vessels.
Lion Service (Far East–North Europe):
Adjustment: Removes Nansha (now covered by Britannia).
Antwerp: Keeps dual calls (westbound/eastbound).
Strategic Drivers
Port Congestion:
Antwerp delays now exceed 7 days due to Red Sea reroutings.
Felixstowe chosen for UK cargo consolidation; Colombo for Indian subcontinent transshipment.
Market Adaptation:
Follows MSC’s April 1 rate hikes (up to $2,000/FEU increase).
Aims to stabilize 16-week sailing cycles amid unpredictable transit times.
Industry Context
Red Sea Fallout:
30% of Asia-Europe cargo still diverting via Cape of Good Hope.
Scandinavia demand: Swan’s Aarhus/Gothenburg calls target volatile Baltic trade.
What’s Next?:
Further adjustments likely if Antwerp congestion persists.
Carriers may prioritize smaller ports (e.g., Sines) to avoid bottlenecks.