United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) yesterday said it has launched the Middle East-Indian Sub-continent-North America (MINA) service that will combine its current MIX and SINA services.
The new service is a combination of the current MIX (Mediterranean-India Express) and SINA (South East Asia, India-North America) services. MIX runs between the US East Coast, Mediterranean, Middle East and Indian subcontinent with 11 2,000-TEU class vessels of which nine are supplied by UASC and two by Hanjin Shipping.
SINA operates between the US East Coast, South East Asia and Indian sub continent with eight vessels; partner carriers including UASC, Hanjin Shipping, K-Line and Yang Ming contribute two each. The MINA service will deploy a total of nine 4,000-TEU vessels of which 6 are supplied by UASC and 3 by Hanjin.
The company said the MINA service is a direct continuation of the SINA and MIX services providing customers with uninterrupted service coverage.
"The deployment of nine larger and faster vessels will provide UASC's customers with fast transit times in both directions," a company statement said.
In addition, it further confirms UASC's commitment to provide fast and efficient services to and from the US East Coast, Indian subcontinent, Middle East and Mediterranean markets.
The MINA service will also provide a direct link between US East Coast and the Middle East.
The SINA service will cease operations this month. The first sailing of the MINA service will take place on January 5, 2009, from Khor Fakkan.
Port rotation on the MINA service is as follows: Khor Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Port Qasim, Nava Sheva, Port Said, Med Hub, La Spezia, Fos, Barcelona, Valencia, Med Hub, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Valencia, Genoa, Port Said, Jeddah and Khor Fakkan.