Israeli container shipping company ZIM has withdrawn from the GPM/BSX container service operated by Arkas and Evergreen, ending its participation in a slot-chartering arrangement connecting Greece with key Black Sea ports.
ZIM previously marketed the service under the name Black Sea Express (BSX), offering container shipping connections between Piraeus in Greece, Poti in Georgia, Constanta in Romania and Varna in Bulgaria.
The service follows the rotation Piraeus–Poti–Constanta–Varna–Piraeus, providing regional connectivity between the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea markets.
ZIM’s withdrawal applies specifically to its slot-chartering agreement on the service. Arkas and Evergreen will continue operating the underlying route, meaning the carrier’s exit will not result in the suspension of the overall shipping connection.
The development will, however, change the options available to customers who previously booked cargo through ZIM on this particular service. Shippers moving containers between Piraeus and the three Black Sea gateways may need to review alternative booking arrangements.
The effective date of ZIM’s withdrawal has not been announced. The carrier has also not provided details of alternative capacity arrangements for customers using its Black Sea Express service.
The move highlights the changing structure of regional container shipping networks, where carriers increasingly rely on slot-chartering and vessel-sharing arrangements to extend their geographical coverage without deploying their own vessels.
For Arkas and Evergreen, the continuation of the service will preserve the existing maritime link between Greece, Georgia, Romania and Bulgaria despite the departure of one commercial partner.