Grand Alliance to re-route EU3 service
via Cape of Good Hope

23 Feb 2009

The Grand Alliance members announced today they will re-route all eastbound EU3 service vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, instead of transiting the Suez Canal.

Issued on behalf of Grand Alliance

Hamburg / Hong Kong / Kuala Lumpur / Tokyo / 23rd February 2009

Grand Alliance members Hapag-Lloyd, MISC Berhad, Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) and Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) announced today they will re-route all eastbound EU3 service vessels around the Cape of Good Hope, instead of transiting the Suez Canal. Presently there are no changes planned for the westbound trade.

The decision, which takes place with immediate effect, is in response to high Suez Canal toll fees, which are difficult for carriers to afford in the current economic environment.

Port rotation of EU3 remains the same: Southampton / Hamburg / Rotterdam / Port Kelang / Singapore / Shekou / Hong Kong / Ningbo / Shanghai, with an extra seven days added to the schedule due to the diversion. 10 ships of 8,000+ TEUs are operating on the service.

The Grand Alliance will consider re-routing more services if the overall economic situation is not improving.

The Grand Alliance, formed in 1998, is the leading integrated consortium in global container shipping. Its members are Hapag-Lloyd (Germany), MISC Berhad (Malaysia), NYK (Japan) and OOCL (Hong Kong).

Hapag-Lloyd press release