Taiwan's Wan Hai lines and Singapore's PIL are said to be close to re-entering the Asia/Europe trade, according to a report in London's Containerisation International.
The two shipping lines suspended their joint FES service in December 2008, but are reportedly preparing to resume it mid-March, said the report.
The service, which calls at several big Far East and northern European ports, would deploy nine ships - one more than before to reap the rewards of slow steaming. The previous rotation was Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shenzhen-Shekou, Singapore, Port Klang, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Aden, Port Klang and Singapore.
Wan Hai and PIL re-entered the trade last autumn in a 700-slot buying deal with Cosco in conjunction with the CKYH Alliance's NE1 service. Better rates between Asia and Europe are said to have encouraged the two shipping lines to re-open operations Asia-Europe trades with their own ships.