The G6 Alliance has dropped 11 weeks of sailings on its loop 6 Asia-Europe service, as rates hit their lowest level so far this year.

The Alliance will void 11 weeks of sailings from the end of February, augmenting its loop 4 and 5 services to cover Kaohsiung, Xiamen, Shekou, China Hong Kong, Colombo, Antwerp and Jebel Ali ports.

Normal loop 6 service will resume on 12 May, starting westbound.

Asia-Europe trades on the Shanghai Containerised Freight Index reached $486.70 per teu today, their lowest level thus far in 2016, from $566.92 two weeks earlier. Meanwhile the Port of Shanghai reported a 7% drop in container volumes in January compared with the same period in 2015.