MAERSK has commenced a high volume west coast of South America feeder service that calls at ports in Balboa, Callao, Arica, San Antonio and Lirquen.

The service now deploys three vessels ranging in size from 4,200 TEU to 4,800 TEU, which replaces the 2,500-TEU ships used previously on the loop, reports Alphaliner.

It said the three larger vessels deployed on this loop, the 4,814-TEU Marathonas, the 4,281-TEU Maersk Malacca and the 4,281-TEU Maersk Merlion, have been taken from the carrier's Far East-Mexico-Panama peak loader AC-3 service, which has been halted over the slack winter season.

Maersk Line operates five feeder services connecting Balboa to the West Coast of South America in addition to connections ensured through its services that call at ports in Europe, according to Alphaliner.

It added that these feeder services are mainly used to link Asia and the west coast of North America to the West Coast of South America through transhipment at Balboa