MSC, Zim return joint Asia-USEC service to Suez route

· Logistics

MSC and Zim are moving their joint Asia-US East Coast service back to the Suez route, shifting away from the longer routing around southern Africa. The change is part of a gradual return of Far East services to the shorter Suez passage. It comes as container spot rates on all three main east-west trades — Asia-Europe, trans-Pacific and transatlantic — rose this week, with Asia-Europe gaining for a second consecutive week after three months of post-peak declines, and Drewry's World Container Index lifted by trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe rates. Carriers are also blanking more sailings to support rates. The Suez return shortens transit times on a key east-west lane, but the items show alternative routings such as the Arctic Northern Sea Route remain costly and marginal.

Why it matters：The Suez return matters to shippers and carriers across the main east-west trade because transit times and effective capacity on the lane shift, feeding into rate negotiations and schedule planning, while capacity released by shorter routings could pressure spot rates as blank sailings try to hold them up.

Key points

  • The Suez switch reverses a routing around southern Africa introduced during Red Sea disruption.
  • Asia-Europe spot rates rose for a second straight week after three months of post-peak declines.
  • Drewry's index gained on trans-Pacific and Asia-Europe rates as import demand strengthened.

Sources (original reporting)

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