ZIM will restructure its Asia-Med (AME) service between China, Malaysia, India and the Mediterranean from July 27 offering shorter transits and improved port coverage by deploying eight vessels instead of the present nine and taking 56 days to do the round trip.

ZIM’s Asia-Med services, which include the well established EMX (East Med Express) and AME (Asia India subcontinent East Med), will be enhanced with the with new AME rotation, due to commence July 27th, as follows:

Ningbo-Shanghai- Da Chan Bay-Port Kelang-Cochin-Nhava Sheva-Mundra-Haifa-Ashdod-Alexandria-Mersin-Xiamen AME will deploy 8 vessels and introduce a significantly improved transit time with a round trip of 56 days compared with 63 days currently. The new rotation includes the following advantages: Shorter transit time both West and East bound (e.g. Shanghai – Ashdod transit time will be improved by 7 days); Increased schedule reliability; Exclusive direct call – Asia – Mersin; 2 weekly calls to Israel (calling both Haifa and Ashdod); Smooth Synchronized connection to ZIM Global and Regional network.

Rafael Ben-Ari, ZIM VP Shipping, said: “The improved AME structure offers faster service to our customers in this important trade. We will continue to optimize our services for the benefit of our loyal customers.”

Zim is also part of the Asia-Med EMX loop with Hong Kong's OOCL, which rotates through Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen-Da Chan Bay, Port Kelang, Haifa, Istanbul (Ambarli side), Novorossiysk, Odessa, Istanbul (Ambarli side), Haifa, Mumba-Nhava Sheva, Port Kelang, Shenzhen-Da Chan Bay and back to Busan.

The EMX operates with 10 vessels with an average capacity of TEU 4,251, reports American Shipper. Zim provides eight of the vessels and OOCL provides two, with Gold Star Line purchasing slots on the service.