EVERGREEN Line will launch the weekly AEM service on November 9, deploying seven ships between 2,500 TEU and 3,500 TEU that will link Asia with ports of the Eastern Mediterranean.

The first sailing will be made by the 2,824-TEU Ital Ottima, departing Shanghai to commence its 49-day rotation of Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Tanjung Pelepas, Haifa, Limassol, Piraeus, Istanbul, Tanjung Pelepas and back to Shanghai.



"East Med ports were previously served by feeders," said Evergreen Marine Corporation president Jack Yen. "However, such is the growth in cargo volumes, that it is now more efficient to offer direct service."



Taiwan's Evergreen Line had first run a text "ad-hoc sailing" in the Asia/Eastern Mediterranean trade and will run another two this month.



Evergreen Line will also use the AEM service to connect with feeders serving other ports in the East Med and Black Sea.



The Evergreen service is expected to be welcomed by Israeli shippers that have seen carriers like Maersk Line and China Shipping end direct service to the country while even Zim is cutting Haifa from its Asia Mediterranean Pacific (AMP) pendulum service.