Maersk Line is to launch a Med-ECSA relay service hubbing at Algeciras and Tangier, covering the Brazilian ports of Santos, Itajai and Paranagua (63324). The new service will allow to connect the whole Med basin to/from ECSA by transhipment. It is to be ensured with five ships of 3,200-3,400 teu, including the newbuilding SAFMARINE BENGUELA, delivered last week, and four ships of the SANTA CARLOTTA class.

The new service is launched four months after the closure of the North Europe-ECSA SAMEX service (63322) (See related news) and the recent dropping of the Med-ECSA leg of the 'Samba' service (6335) (See related news), with the Med related cargoes meanwhile taken en route at Algeciras by the L-class ship service (6330).

Maersk Line will thus continue to maintain three Europe-ECSA weekly services : its own L-class ship service (6330), ensured with six ships of 4,500 teu, the new Med-ECSA relay service (63324), and its slot allocation on the Hamburg Süd's 'River Plate Express' (6323), ensured with six ships of 5,500 teu.

As to the four 3,400 teu ships assigned to the new service, they are shifted from the West Africa relay service 9 (5030), on which replaced by 1,700 teu units which became redundant on other Maersk services.