GRAND ALLIANCE/MAERSK/SEA-LAND TALKS ON HOLD

   Discussions on cooperation by the Grand Alliance, Sea-Land and Maersk on their northern Europe/U.S. and northern Europe/Canada services are on hold.
   The carriers had been discussing ways to integrate their transatlantic
services for the past six months, but no more meetings are planned for the
time being, according to sources close to the talks.
   The talks involve Hapag-Lloyd, P&O Nedlloyd, OOCL, NYK, Maersk, Sea-Land and, indirectly, their transatlantic partners such as TMM, Lykes, Canada Maritime and Cast.
   During earlier talks, the lines could not agree on whether the AEX and
PAX transatlantic services of the Grand Alliance would call at the Howland
Hook terminal operated by OOCL in New York and at what price P&O Nedlloyd and OOCL and Sea-Land and Maersk would sell each other slots.