PLANS for the G6 alliance to Asia-North America east coast trade announced in February remain on hold until the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) approves the scheme.

The six member alliance - APL, Hapag-Lloyd. Hyundai, MOL, NYK and OOCL - is hoping to receive approval 45 days from the time they submitted the scheme on February 1.

The plan calls for the deployment of 50 ships in six services connecting Asia with the US east coast, with three going through Panama and the other three going through Suez with first sailing scheduled for May.

There is still a question whether US west coast calls will be included. APL, MOL and HMM are also west coast players through the New World Alliance, while the G6 members operate in through the Grand Alliance.

Customers, reports London's Containerisation International, are starting to submit quotation requests, but formal negotiations have not yet started though it is understood that most contracts are limited to 12 months.

The extended G6 service network will call at almost 30 ports in Asia, the North American east coast, Canada, central America, Caribbean, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean and the Middle East.