Hyundai Merchant to offer services on 3 new Asia-Middle East routes

Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., South Korea’s biggest shipping company by sales, said Monday that its shipping alliance will provide services on three new routes from Asia to the Middle East from April.

The three routes will connect Chinese, South Korean and other Asian ports to Middle Eastern ports, such as Jebel Ali, Dammam and Hamad, the company said in a statement.

The new routes will raise to 33 the total number of shipping routes operated by THE Alliance.

“THE Alliance will introduce three newly organized express loops from early April and these services will provide higher frequency, direct and expanded coverage, and the fastest connection from the respective regions,” THE Alliance said in a statement.

In April, Hyundai Merchant is set to join of THE Alliance, one of the world’s top three shipping alliances along with 2M Alliance and Ocean Alliance.

THE Alliance was formed in April 2017 by Hapag-Lloyd AG of Germany, Ocean Network Express Pte. Ltd. of Japan and Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. of Taiwan.

Hyundai Merchant has been serving as a strategic partner for 2M Alliance operated by Maersk Line of Denmark and Mediterranean Shipping Co. of Switzerland since April 2017, but their partnership is set to expire at the end of March.