Liverpool - permanent substitute for Felixstowe
The 2M alliance, comprised of Maersk and MSC, has confirmed that the port of Liverpool (UK) will become a permanent call on its TA4 service, connecting Europe with the USA.
The decision follows the introduction of a temporary call in July 2018 resulting from continued disruption at the UK's port of Felixstowe. The TA4 service is currently used to export UK cargo such as food produce and retail goods in the first place, but is also attracting interest for trade in manufacturing and industrial goods.
One of the shippers using the service is YKK, a UK manufacturer of zips and industrial fastenings, for refilling spools of metal in the USA. The full spools are then returned to Ykk's Runcorn facility for making into specialist automotive parts.
The TA4 service rotates between Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Liverpool, Newark, Savannah, Port Everglades and North Charleston. (kd)