Mediterranean Shipping Company has enhanced its Israel Express service from the end of September to include calls at the Israeli ports of Ashod and Haifa.

The new port rotation will be: Felixstowe – Rotterdam – Hamburg – Antwerp – Le Havre – Ashdod – Haifa – Ashdod – Naples – Valencia – Felixstowe.

The new service is part of MSC’s VSA agreement with Israeli shipping line ZIM. MSC will operate three out of five vessels deployed on the service.

According to MSC, a revised schedule means that transit time to Ashdod is shortened and timings for cargo deliveries to ports of loading are improved.

MSC also says that the second call at Ashdod on Thursdays is dedicated to reefer cargo.

The first sailing will be made by the MSC Marta, which departed Felixstowe on September 29.