Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has announced the enhancement of its Asia and East Coast South America trade by merging existing CSW and SW2 services to form a new CSW service.

The existing CSW and SW2 services, which are operated jointly by MOL, Maersk Line, and Mediterranean Shipping Company, will be merged into a new enhanced CSW service to strengthen the coverage between the major trading hub of Asia and key ports in the east coast of South America.

The upgraded CSW service will further provide wider connectivity with the current network over the key transshipment ports and will integrate the SW2 coverage in some key ports in China to east coast of South America ports.

The new CSW service port rotation, with a turnaround of 84 days is: Busan – Shanghai – Ningbo – Chiwan – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Santos – Paranagua – Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Rio Grande – Navegantes – Itajai – Paranagua – Santos – Ngqura – Singapore – Hong Kong – Busan.

Twelve 8,000-TEU vessels will be deployed in the new CSW service, three from MOL, four from Maersk and five from Mediterranean Shipping Company, to provide a weekly service to Asia and the east coast of South America.

The last vessel of the existing CSW service will sail from Yantian on February 10, 2016. The new CSW service will be commenced with the first vessel departing from Busan on February 19, 2016.