Responding to changing market conditions and subject to approval by the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), as from February 2012, Hamburg Süd will restructure its services from North Europe and Mediterranean to Central and South America West Coast as well as to North America West Coast.

The new configuration allows for an extensive service scope with connections to the worldwide Hamburg Süd network and likewise delivers significant cost efficiency – with no capacity increase in the market.

The current Eurosal loop 2, featuring eight 1,800 TEU ships, will be upgraded to an eight-vessel system of 3,500 TEU nominal capacity. Currently, Hamburg Süd and Hapag-Lloyd will provide three vessels each and CMA CGM two.

The port rotation of the Eurosal loop 2 will be as follows: Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Kingston, Cartagena, Manzanillo (Panama), Guayaquil, Callao, Paita, Guayaquil, Buenaventura, Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Rotterdam.

Eurosal loop 1, connecting North Europe with Central and South America West Coast, will remain unchanged and be operated by eight Panmax vessels, Hamburg Süd and Hapag-Lloyd providing four vessels each.

The port rotation remains as follows: Rotterdam, Hamburg, Tilbury, Antwerp, Caucedo, Cartagena, Manzanillo (Panama), Callao, Valparaiso, Callao, Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Caucedo, Rotterdam.

Hamburg Süd will further join Hapag-Lloyd in the Mediterranean – North America West Coast service (MCPS) – by providing two out of 10 vessels with 2,500 TEU nominal capacity. The revised service will be upgraded from an 11-day to a weekly frequency. With this participation Hamburg Süd is extending its portfolio and replacing the current service between the Caribbean and the Mediterranean (CAMS).

The port rotation of the MCPS service will be as follows: Cartagena, Manzanillo (Mexico), Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, Oakland, Los Angeles, Manzanillo (Mexico), Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Caucedo, Tangier, Valencia, Cagliari, Livorno, Genoa, Fos, Barcelona, Valencia, Tangier, Cartagena.

The current Hamburg Süd West Coast service (WAMS) will henceforth concentrate on the North America West Coast-Caribbean range efficiently linking up with the many Hamburg Süd services to the Caribbean, East and West Coast South America, North Europe, Mediterranean and US Gulf. The system will be operated with four vessels of 1,750 TEU nominal capacity, of which Hamburg Süd will provide three and CCNI one.

The port rotation will be as follows: Cartagena, Puerto Quetzal, Manzanillo (Mexico), Long Beach, Oakland, Manzanillo (Mexico), Lazaro Cardenas, Puerto Quetzal, Cartagena