While the service is modest, in that it comprises a slot purchase agreement with Hapag-Lloyd, it is highly significant and may herald a new wave of expansion at the group.

The new service is also significant because it does not directly trade with the carrier’s mainstream Mediterranean ports, but comprises a direct link with West Africa. Hapag-Lloyd recently revamped the operation, partly, it is thought, as a consequence of Mitsui OSK Lines retiring from the market.

The weekly service, which Hapag-Lloyd markets as WAX, uses five ships of approximately 1,740 TEU and offers direct calls at Antwerp (transhipment to/from the UK), Hamburg, Algeciras, Dakar, Tema, Abidjan and returning to Antwerp.

WorldCargo News understands that Arkas will probably use Algeciras as a hub port, transferring some containers from northern Europe into the Mediterranean, and also moving boxes from its Mediterranean network via the Spanish port to West Africa. The Turkey/West Africa trade is currently registering very strong growth.

The line has, for instance, already transferred its Great Pendulum service, which connects the western and eastern Mediterranean from Valencia to Algeciras.

In recent years, Arkas has been among the fastest growing liner companies in the world, and now moves in excess of 1M TEU a year. 

Read this item in full
This complete item is approximately 300 words in length, and appeared in the November 2015 issue of WorldCargo News, on page 18. To access this issue download the PDF here.