The decision to suspend the CKYH Alliance- operated East Mediterranean Express (EMX) service may boost business for competitor Mediterranean Shipping Company, which will operate the only direct service between Greece’s Piraeus and the Far East.
The EMX service, which will be suspended from October 8, 2008 currently deploys seven 2,700 teu to 3,800 teu vessels calling at : Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Israel’s Ashdod, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai.
Although Greek customers of the CKYH Alliance will have the option of being serviced through Egypt’s Port Said, there is market speculation that alliance member Cosco may choose to service the route independently at a later date. This speculation is particularly fuelled by the fact that the Chinese line is still in negotiations with the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) regarding concessions for the port’s two pier container terminals.
The EMX service, which will be suspended from October 8, 2008 currently deploys seven 2,700 teu to 3,800 teu vessels calling at : Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Singapore, Israel’s Ashdod, Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai.
Although Greek customers of the CKYH Alliance will have the option of being serviced through Egypt’s Port Said, there is market speculation that alliance member Cosco may choose to service the route independently at a later date. This speculation is particularly fuelled by the fact that the Chinese line is still in negotiations with the Piraeus Port Authority (PPA) regarding concessions for the port’s two pier container terminals.