A relatively new entrant to container shipping is scaling back. CStar Line, founded two years ago in Dubai, has focused on servicing Russian, Asian and Turkish ports.
Container analytics firm eeSea is reporting the carrier is suspending one Asia – Europe and three Asia – Middle East services this month.
The carrier continues participation in two other Asia – Europe strings, as well as a Colombo – India service and a partnership serving the Middle East.
“Excepting the five feeders it continues to operate, this marks the end of their offerings into the Russian market as well as any standalone service on a major trade,” eeSea noted in an update.
China-Russia freight rates have been flat for the past two years. Opportunistic operators, many China-based, stepped in to cover the shortfall when Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine sparked global carriers to abandon Russia calls.