KOREA's Hyundai Merchant Marine is joining two container shipping services linking Asia to the US east coast by joining Maersk Line, CMA CGM and APL.

Hyundai will contribute a single vessel in the one all-water Panama service, which connects ports in north China and Korean to Miami, New York and Savannah. The carrier is also expected to purchase slots from others, thus linking Asian ports to the US east coast via the Suez Canal, reports the American Shipper.

It said that the most container ships deployed on these trade routes will be provided mainly by Maersk and CMA CGM.

The all-water Panama service, which Hyundai calls the CSX, will use eight ships with an average capacity of 3,800 TEU on a port rotation of Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Panama Canal, Savannah, New York and Miami. Transit time from Busan to Savannah is 20 days, and 23 days to New York. Miami to Ningbo transit time is 22 days.

The Suez service, which Hyundai has named the SNX, will use 14 ships of 6,000 TEU. It links Shanghai, south China and south east Asian ports to Norfolk, New York and Savannah. Its port rotation is Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen (Yantian), Tanjung Pelepas, Suez, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Tanjung Pelepas, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai.

The carrier said the SNX will provides a direct link between the transhipment hub of Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia and the US. The service is scheduled to sail via the Cape of Good Hope on the return leg to Asia.

The first vessels in the new services are scheduled to depart from Asia on May 10 and May 14, respectively, the report added.