IRIS Lines stops pendulum, joins CSCL's AMX1 service

IRIS Lines is scrapping its pendulum service which links Europe with the Middle East and Far East, 17 months after the launch of the service in January 2007.

The shipping line plans instead to rely on separate Far East-Middle East and Europe-Middle East shuttle services, according to AXS-Alphaliner News.

As such, IRIS Lines will reintroduce the Europe-Middle East shuttle service (ECL) that had become a part of the IRIS Lines' Far East Middle East-Europe Pendulum. The re-launched Europe-Mediterranean-Middle East ECL shuttle service is expected to turn in seven weeks, using seven ships of 2,700-3,400 TEU.

To service the Far East-Mediterranean-North Europe trade, IRIS Lines intends to strengthen its cooperation with China Shipping Lines Co Ltd (CSCL) through the commencement of a joint Asia-Mediterranean Express service (AMX1) which CSCL has revived, after the loop was suspended last month. The first sailing on the new AMX1 departed from Xingang on May 1.

The new AMX1 will deploy eight ships, instead of seven, ranging in size from 3,280 TEU to 6,500 TEU. The smaller ships are expected to be replaced later by IRIS Lines newbuildings, to enable the service to be run with a fleet of ships averaging 5,500-6,000 TEU, the report said.

IRIS Lines also has a slot allocation on CSCL's Far East-North Europe AEX1 service which calls at ports in the West Mediterranean region, including new stops at the ports of Barcelona and Valencia.

IRIS Lines is due to take delivery of 10 newbuildings of 5,000 and 6,500 TEU throughout the course of the year.