On Tuesday November 9, 2016, THE Alliance announced its 2017 route programme, which includes 31 services on all key east-west trade routes and a 240 strong container vessel fleet, reported JOC.com
The alliance is formed of Mitsui O.S.K Lines, NYK Line, K- Line, Hapag-Lloyd and Yang Ming Line; it previously included Hanjin Shipping before it announced its court receivership on August 31, 2016.
The new services will include one specifically for the Middle East, connecting Dammam, Jubai and the Persian Gulf to South East Asia and China. There will also be 16 trans-pacific trade routes and six North Atlantic routes connecting Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to Canada and the America; the alliance will control 21% of the Asia-Europe trade routes and 29% of the trans-pacific trade routes but these are set to increase to 35% and 40% respectfully.
The direct competitor to THE Alliance is the Ocean Alliance, who has also recently announced their planned services and port calls. PTI reported on November 3, 2016 that the alliance consisting of COSCO Container Lines, CMA CGM, Evergreen Line and Orient Overseas Container Line had signed a document entitled the Day One Product, which sets out the proposed network, including port rotation for each service loop.
K-Line, a member of THE Alliance has recently engaged in a merger with Nippon Yusen and Mitsui O.S.K Lines, which would mean 7% of the container line market being owned by them as a conglomerate, in a bid to protect them from failing in the ailing shipping market.
