ROME: The southern Italian port of Taranto, once a leading transhipment hub, faces an uncertain future after losing its last long-haul intercontinental service in the latest shake up in the fiercely competitive Mediterranean container market.
Evergreen is switching its UAM Mediterranean-Far East-West Coast North America service to the Greek port of Piraeus from the Taranto Container Terminal [TCT], which handled its last call on September 21. The Taiwanese carrier also reportedly intends to temporarily suspend operations at the Taranto terminal, which it co-owns with Hong Kong’s Hutchison Ports, during work to deepen its access so the port can handle larger container ships.
Evergreen is introducing 7,000 TEUs vessels on the UAM service, which currently deploys 14 5,300-6,300 TEUs ships on an itinerary that includes ports in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Egypt, Israel and Tacoma and Vancouver on the West Coast North America leg. The service will continue to call at the Italian port of Trieste and Koper, Slovenia.
