OREANDA-NEWS. January 17, 2013.  The G6 Alliance announced today that it will maintain the current 5-loop product structure for its Asia-North Europe service in 2013.

"We anticipate the current supply and demand balance will continue and we will not be reinstating the Loop 3 Asia-Europe service," members of the Alliance said in a joint statement. The Loop 3 service was suspended in October 2012 as part of the Alliance's winter program.

The G6 Alliance will continue offering a variety of services between the Far East and Europe covering all major port pairs with weekly sailings.

In addition, adjustments have been made to the Alliance's other services to accommodate port calls from the Loop 3 service to ensure that customers continue to enjoy the full network coverage the Alliance provides.

For example, the Alliance had in October started a feeder shuttle between German ports and Gothenburg. A new call at Jeddah has also been included in the Loop 4 service, as with a new call at Hong Kong in the Loop 7.

The G6 Alliance members are: Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, APL, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.