Cosco Container Lines plans to launch its new all-water service next month between East Asia, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.
It will be the maiden voyage for the Cosco Auckland, the latest addition to the carrier’s container ship fleet.
The Gulf of Mexico Express service, designated GME, will deploy eight Panamax ships with capacities of 4,000 20-foot equivalent container units apiece on the new service, with Cosco providing six ships, including the Cosco Auckland, and Hanjin Shipping, two.
Cosco and Hanjin will operate the GME as part of the CKYH Green Alliance, which also includes “K” Line and Yang Ming.
The GME will start its first rotation with the sailing of the Cosco Auckland from Shanghai on April 29. After that the regular rotation of the GME will start in Busan, with calls at Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Yantian, then Colon and Houston with direct, 24-day return to Busan.
The GME will connect with feeder services covering ports in the Caribbean region, South America and the Gulf of Mexico at the Colon Container Terminal at the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal.