GRAND ALLIANCE REVISES TRANSPACIFIC SERVICES

   The Grand Alliance of NYK, OOCL, Hapag-Lloyd and P&O Nedlloyd has revised three of its joint transpacific container services.

   The "FEX" weekly loop of the alliance, which covers Japan, Hong and Taiwan, no longer calls at the Pacific Northwest ports of Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. A call at the port of Oakland has been added to the vessel rotation and the service continues to call at Los Angeles.

   The "JCX" loop, serving Japan and China, now picks up the calls at Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. from the FEX service. The change will permit direct connections between the Pacific Northwest and China.

   In a separate development, the Grand Alliance has added a 15th vessel to its "AEX/PNX" pendulum service. The complex itinerary of the service remains largely unchanged, following the route East Coast of North America/Mediterranean/Asia/West Coast of North America/Asia/Mediterranean/East Coast of North America. The addition of a 15th ship and a rescheduling of the service is designed to improve its reliability, an executive with one Grand Alliance carrier said.