THE Far East-US East Coast, AWE-3 service offered by CKYH alliance shipping lines will drop five of the next 10 sailings and operate the service at half-strength from October to November.

Cosco and Hanjin buy slots on this service under the CKYH alliance.

Yang Ming is temporarily removing five ships from the service over the next two months ahead of the slack winter season, but expects to return to full strength in December, reports Alphaliner.

The AWE-3 turns in nine weeks and calls at Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Manzanillo (Mexico), Colon-Coco Solo, Savannah, New York, Wilmington, Busan and back to Ningbo, operated by nine 4,200 to 4,800-TEU vessels.

The China-Korea-Mexico (Manzanillo) connections will continue to be covered by Yang Ming on a weekly basis through slots on the relevant leg of the Far East-West Coast South America service operated by NYK, MOL and "K" Line.

Also on the Far East-US East Coast, AWE-7 service, CKYH carriers will skip two sailings in October, coinciding with the Golden Week holidays in China.

The AWE-7 calls at Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shenzhen-Yantian, Busan, New York, Savannah, Charleston, Busan, Kaohsiung and back to Xiamen. It deploys 10 ships ranging in size from 3,400-4,300 TEU, with three from Cosco and seven from Hanjin.