SM Shipping Starts Joint Operation on Transpacific Route with 2M Shipping Alliance

World's Largest Shipping Alliance 2M Joint Sailing, Vessel Sharing, and Route Establishment
"Expansion of Americas Service and Cost Reduction Effects"

[Asia Economy Reporter Yu Je-hoon] SM Line announced on the 6th that it has started joint service on the trans-Pacific route with the 2M shipping alliance. 2M is the world's largest shipping alliance formed by Maersk, the world's number one shipping company, and MSC, the number two.

The first voyage of the joint service is the Maersk Algol on the PS1 (Pacific South west service 1) route, which begins service today from Qingdao, China. This route deploys a total of six 11,500 TEU (a unit referring to one 6m container) class container ships to transport container cargo between Asia and the Americas.

Another service route, PS2 (Pacific South west service 2), operates with a total of 17 vessels of 13,000 TEU class. SM Line plans to transport various cargo such as electronics, automobile parts, agricultural and marine products, and consumer goods throughout North America through these services.

SM Line expects the trans-Pacific route service to be further strengthened through this joint service. The service will expand from the existing two routes (CPX, PNS) to a total of three routes (PS1, PS2, PNS), and the ship size will increase about twofold compared to the previously operated 6,500 TEU class, which is expected to bring cost reduction effects per container unit.

Kim Chil-bong, Vice Chairman of SM Group, said, "Through cooperation with 2M, we expect SM Line to take a step forward as a trusted shipping company to shippers worldwide," adding, "Although the domestic and international industrial economy is difficult due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), as the saying goes, crisis is opportunity, and all employees will unite to overcome it."