MSC to use larger ships on Europe-South Africa service

MSC has started boosting the capacity of its Europe-South Africa service by replacing the 5,000-TEU vessels previously used on this service with ships ranging between 5,000 and 6,000 TEU.
Two 4,953-TEU box ships, the MSC Catania and the MSC Messina, are currently being used to run the service. The 5,762-TEU MSC Los Angeles is expected to join the loop, becoming the largest containership ever to trade between Europe and South Africa, reports AXS-Alphaliner News.
It said MSC has just recently taken charge of the MSC Los Angeles, after subchartering the ship from CSCL. The Chinese shipping line had freed up the E.R. Schiffahrt-managed vessel, by removing calls at the ports of Barcelona and Valencia from its AEX-1 loop.
Following the MSC Los Angeles, the 5,527-TEU MSC France will enter MSC's Europe-South Africa service in mid-August.
The report said that MSC will also take charge of two more 5,500-TEU box ships sublet from CSCL, the CSCL Shanghai and the CSCL Hong Kong, and three sister ships to the MSC Los Angeles, namely the E R Amsterdam, the E R Felixstowe and the E R London, which are currently ending their charters with Maersk Line.
The report added it is not yet known if MSC plans to use them on its South Africa service or on another trade.