MSC to launch own ANZ-North America service

MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company will launch a standalone Australia/New Zealand-East Coast North America service in February 2026, replacing a 15-year-old slot-charter agreement with Maersk on their OC1 service (designated Oceania Loop 2 by MSC).

The Eagle service will employ 11 ships on a weekly rotation of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Tauranga, Rodman, Cristobal, Philadelphia, Savannah, Freeport, Papeete, Auckland, Sydney. 

MSC began marketing the service to ANZ customers today, also highlighting connections through Panama to and from Europe, Central and South America, as well as USA Gulf ports. 

Rodman, located southwest of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, hosts a PSA International terminal and could be a transhipment port for West Coast cargo, although DCN understands no decision has been taken. MSC currently also has a slot charter agreement with Maersk ANZ-WCNA, within the PCX/WSN/PANZ service jointly provided by ANL, Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk (MSC’s Oceania Loop 1). 

Further information about ship size, port days, transits and terminals will be released when operational details are finalised, MSC says. 

DCN will provide follow-up analysis of this major move tomorrow.