SINGAPORE's MCC Transport, Maersk's intra-Asia specialist, will soon deploy mega feeder the 5,527-TEU Tamina, on its Tanjung Pelepas-Thailand weekly shuttle, the first-ever ship of that size to be deployed on on a regular short sea service, reports Paris-based maritime consultant Alphaliner.
The ship, now ending her service with CSAV in the Far East-Mediterranean trade lane, will join the MCC Tanjung Pelepas-Thailand weekly feeder shuttle by the end of the month, replacing the 2,742-TEU Cape Mollini and the 2,672-TEU Bonny, currently offering two weekly sailings in this shuttle.
Strong volumes at Laem Chabang have led MCC to add feeder tonnage over the past few months. The Tamina was recently chartered by MCC Transport to play her new feeder role.
MCC also operates a weekly Singapore-Tanjung Pelepas-Laem Chabang feeder shuttle using the 1,730 TEU Madeleine Rickmers, and a five-day Port Kelang-Tanjung Pelepas-Laem Chabang feeder shuttle using two ships of the 1,600 TEU range: the Conti la Spezua and Conti Sydney.
Both shuttles are to be maintained on top of the Tanjung Pelepas-Laem Chabang 5,500-TEU shuttle. These three feeder shuttles have the potential to handle about 9,500-TEU on a weekly basis, to which the volumes have to be added covering MCC's long haul intra-Asia services. Worth noting, none of Maersk Line's linehaul services call directly in Thailand, which explains the scale of the feeder loops covering this country.
