The alliance is moving the last Asia service still calling Amsterdam to Rotterdam from January next year
The last deep sea service to remain at the former Ceres Terminals Amsterdam facility, the GA’s EU1 string, will move to ECT in Rotterdam, the Amsterdam terminal’s sister, both being HPH-owned.
GA sources in Rotterdam confirmed that the move is part of a scheme to trim the Europe-Far East sailing list from four to three services, while, according to Nieuwsblad Transport, Amsterdam shipping circles have hinted at possible initiatives by the city to persuade HPH to mothball the facility to weather the economic recession or possibly even until a new, bigger, lock will be in place. However, Amsterdam is unlikely to see this before 2016 at the earliest.
The EU1 loop, which features Japan, is scheduled to be scaled up to 8600 TEU ships, from the 6000-6700 TEU class now deployed. In the "four to three" rationalisation the familiar EU- service names are to make way for the simpler A, B and C indication. The GA’s EU2 service migrated to Rotterdam in April this year, shortly after the HPH takeover and not long after the alliance had axed its EU5 calls.
Intercontainer Austria has inaugurated a two pairs/week service between Rotterdam and Salzburg – the port's first direct connection with the Austrian city. Initially one pair will operate as a direct shuttle and the other one will be over Wels. Westbound the schedule is Day A/B and eastbound it is Day A/C.
