Israeli carrier ZIM has renewed ties with Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC), the world’s largest carrier. The new operational agreement includes services connecting the Indian subcontinent with the East Mediterranean, the East Mediterranean with Northern Europe, and services connecting East Asia with Oceania. The agreements between ZIM and MSC include vessel sharing, slot purchases, and swap arrangements.
Eli Glickman, ZIM president and CEO, said: “Capitalising on this opportunity with MSC will improve efficiencies in our fleet and is consistent with our focus on taking proactive steps amidst continued near-term headwinds in the container shipping market. We expect that this strategic cooperation will benefit ZIM both operationally and financially, and it is another testament to our agility. We will continue to seek opportunities to leverage our strengths and capabilities to create long-term value for our customers and investors alike.”
ZIM has long stood out among the global carriers for its decision never to join one of the three east-west tradelanes, preferring instead to pick out partnerships on certain tradelanes.