The extra frequency is expected to help shippers in the Pacific Northwest with greater access to the European market.
The newly configured rotation also brings Hamburg Süd, another German carrier, to the Columbia River port for the first time.
In December, Hamburg Süd, announced it would phase out its CAMS service between the Caribbean and Europe and provide vessels on Hapag-Lloyd's MPS service, which has a rotation of Cartagena, Manzanillo (Mexico), Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, Oakland, Los Angeles, Manzanillo (Mexico), Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Caucedo, Tangiers, Valencia, Cagliari, Livorno, Genoa, Marseilles-Fos, Barcelona, Valencia, Tangiers, and Cartagena.
Hamburg Süd already took slots on the MPS, which is currently operated with six vessels (all from Hapag-Lloyd), with an average capacity of 2,358 TEUs. The service will now operate with 10 vessels, two of which are supplied by Hamburg Süd.
American Shipper