MSC Mediterranean Shipping Co. (MSC) is planning a new service linking Europe with Middle East ports using trucking across Saudi Arabia and smaller vessels in the Persian Gulf.
In an advisory, Geneva-headquartered MSC said the first voyage would commence on May 10 from Antwerp, in a loop that also includes stops in Germany, Italy, Lithuania and Spain. Vessels will cross the Suez Canal into the Red Sea and stop at the ports of Jeddah and King Abdullah. Trucks will then be used to reach Dammam, where feeder vessels would connect to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, Iraq, and Kuwait.
The drive from Jeddah to Dammam through Riyadh is about 800 miles, and other shipping lines including Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk have announced multimodal “land bridge” solutions for cargo across the region.
IAM Member Impact: Depending on the duration of the conflict with Iran, this land bridge provides new solutions for members with shipments to and from the region.
Source: Transport Topics