MSC-Zim alliance strengthens

The world’s largest container line, MSC, is joining in an alliance with tenth-ranked Zim across “multiple trades”, as both carriers prepare for life outside their cooperation with Maersk within the 2M Alliance.

The Israeli carrier said it had made “a new operational agreement with MSC, encompassing several trades”.

Zim explained: “The cooperation scope includes services connecting the Indian subcontinent with the east Mediterranean, the east Mediterranean with Northern Europe and services connecting East Asia with Oceania.”

It added that the agreements included vessel sharing, slot purchases and slot swap arrangements.