The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) announced that Eimskip, an Icelandic steamship company, has started a new direct service to the Port of Boston from Halifax with the maiden voyage of the containership Simone J. The new service calls at Conley Container Terminal in South Boston every Monday.

'This new call is a win for New England business, because it gives importers and exporters more extensive international shipping options to the global marketplace,' said Mike Leone, Port Director for the Massachusetts Port Authority. 'It extends our service reach with the many other ocean carriers that call Halifax.'

The new Eimskip service will connect to global steamship lines, as well as help eliminate truck congestion on U.S. interstate and Canadian highways. Eimskip's 'New England Canada Short Sea Service' (NECA Express) will sail between Boston and Halifax, calling at Ceres Fairview Cove Terminal and Halterm International Terminal.

With the new service, importers and exporters will have access to more than 100 ports around the world. The Port of Boston is called twice weekly by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The MSC North Europe service leaves Boston for Hamburg and Bremerhaven, Germany, Antwerp, Belgium, and Le Havre, France. The service then returns to Boston after calls at Baltimore, Norfolk, VA., and New York. MSC's Mediterranean service calls directly at Boston from Valencia, Spain, Naples and La Spezia, Italy, and Sines, Portugal. From Boston, it sails to New York, Baltimore and Norfolk.

China Ocean Shipping Company 'COSCO', and its partners, 'K' Line of Japan, Yang Ming Line of Taiwan, and Hanjin Shipping of Korea, all provide direct service between Boston and ports in China including: Qingdao, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, as well as Charleston, SC and New York.

CMA-CGM calls Boston every other week with direct service from Le Havre, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, and Liverpool. The service then continues on to New York, Baltimore, and Norfolk before heading back to Europe.

Columbia Coastal Transport provides a weekly barge service between Boston and New York carrying containers from many other shipping carriers moving cargo into and out of New England. Shipping carriers include: CMA-CGM, COSCO, CSAV, Evergreen, Hanjin, Hapag-Lloyd, Maersk, MSC, NYK, OOCL, Safmarine, Yang Ming Line, and Zim.

Atlantic Maritime Transit Agency has been appointed as agents for Eimskip for the Port of Boston.