MSC is introducing a new container shipping service in order to fulfil customer demand for cargo between Southeast Asia and the US west coast with a view to improving reliability in the transpacific network at a time when the entire market remains under considerable systemic pressure.

The new service is a dedicated MSC line to link Southeast Asia with the Pacific South West market and to catalyse trade between countries such as Thailand and Vietnam and the US west coast.

In a statement, the Geneva-headquartered shipping line said the service — dubbed "Sentosa" — will connect Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam with the US West Coast and was deployed with a view to improving reliability on the transpacific trade which is suffering delays and port congestion following a surge in demand.

The service will see MSC retaining a weekly between direct call at Laem Chabang in Thailand and Long Beach in both directions, with the Thai load port being dropped MSC’s Jaguar service.

MSC noted that it should also enable a significantly improved transit time for MSC customers shipping goods between Southeast Asia and California, ensuring that MSC retains a direct Laem Chabang – Long Beach call (in both directions) within its transpacific network.

This compensates for the removal of a Laem Chabang – US call on the Jaguar service, which is being announced separately.

"The addition of the Sentosa service is intended to improve the distribution of cargo flow across the various existing services and port terminals either side of the Pacific, enhancing schedule reliability in this region," the shipping firm said.

The new service is scheduled to start in early April with the vessel MSC Ornella with a call rotation of Singapore – Tanjung Pelepas – Laem Chabang – Vung Tau – Long Beach – Shanghai – Ningbo – Xiamen – Singapore.