ZIM has entered a new operational co-operation agreement with MSC on several trade routes, including services that call Australian ports.
The agreement follows an announcement last month that the two companies would enter a vessel sharing partnership as Zim set out to restructure three Oceania services.
The new agreement, announced on Thursday, aims to enhance operational efficiencies and elevate service levels.
Services connecting East Asia with Oceania are included in the scope of co-operation, along with services connecting the Indian subcontinent with the East Mediterranean and the East Mediterranean with Northern Europe.
Agreements between Zim and MSC include vessel sharing, slot purchases and swap arrangements.
Zim president and CEO Eli Glickman said the mutually beneficial arrangement would deliver cost efficiencies for both carriers and uphold high standards of service and reliability.
“Our decade-long partnership with MSC spanned across multiple trades over the years, and today encompass, among others, Asia, the Pacific Northwest, Oceania, India, East-Med, Northern Europe, and more,” Mr Glickman said.
“Our agile strategy enabled us once again to promptly adapt to changing market dynamics, ensuring that we continue to best meet our customers’ needs with our signature personalized service, supported by cutting-edge digital tools.”
Mr Glickman said capitalising on the opportunity with MSC would improve efficiencies in Zim’s fleet.
“We expect that this strategic co-operation will benefit Zim both operationally and financially, and it is another testament to our agility,” he said.
“We will continue to seek opportunities to leverage our strengths and capabilities to create long-term value for our customers and investors alike.”
Between Asia and Oceania, the restructured Zim services included in the agreement are the ZAX, ZOA and ZOX services.
The Northeast Asia – Australia (ZAX) route calls Busan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Yantian, Nansha, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Busan.
The ZIM Oceania – Asia (ZOA) route calls Laem Chabang, Singapore, Tanjung Pelapas, Singapore, Jakarta, Brisbane, Sydney, Auckland, Lyttelton, Otago, Brisbane, Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore and Laem Chabang.
And the ZIM Oceania Express (ZOX) route calls Singapore, Jakarta, Fremantle, Melbourne, Sydney, Napier, Tauranga, Brisbane, Tanjung Pelepas and Singapore.
Zim said the service restructuring aims to ensure improved service reliability and offers seamless connections to other Zim services operating in Asia and the Mediterranean.
