Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has removed Sines Port from the rotation of its ISC (India–Subcontinent–Continent) services, as part of a broader network and capacity adjustment.
According to shipping and port sources, the revision means vessels operating on the ISC services will no longer call at the Portuguese port, with cargo previously routed via Sines being redirected to alternative hubs in Southern and Northern Europe. The move is expected to impact transhipment flows, particularly for India- and Middle East-origin cargo moving into the Iberian Peninsula.
Industry observers say the decision reflects MSC’s ongoing efforts to optimise port rotations, reduce voyage times and improve schedule reliability amid softer demand on some Europe–Asia trade lanes. Sines has been a strategic deep-water port for transhipment, but carriers have increasingly consolidated calls to fewer ports to manage costs.
Port authorities and logistics operators are assessing the impact on volumes, while shippers may face changes in transit times and feeder connections following the service adjustment.
