Mediterranean Shipping Company is adding Savannah to its weekly Golden Gate Service between the East Coast and Asia via the Suez Canal.

    The 12-vessel container service includes the largest ships ever to call at Savannah.

    The Golden Gate Service deploys vessels ranging in capacity from 6,700 to 9,200 20-foot equivalent container units on the following rotation: Shanghai, Chiwan, Yantian, Singapore, Salalah, New York-New Jersey, Norfolk, Baltimore, Savannah, Freeport, Charleston, Norfolk, Jeddah, Colombo, Singapore, Chiwan, Hong Kong and Ningbo.

    “The 9,000-TEU class vessels included in this Suez Canal route represent the future of U.S.-Asia shipping,” said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Curtis J. Foltz. “The economy of scale in this size ship will make it the dominant choice in global trade, especially after an expanded Panama Canal opens in 2014, allowing Pacific routes for post-Panamax vessels.”

    The first ship on the Golden Gate rotation will be the 8,089-TEU MSC Toronto, slated to arrive on Feb. 13. The first 9,200-TEU vessel, the MSC Roma, will call on Savannah Feb. 20.

(Source:JOC)