MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company announced revisions to its five services operating between Asia and North Europe. The Albatros service will see a major improvement into Germany now including a direct service from North China to Hamburg, as well as optmized connections with Scandanavia and the Baltics. Westbound transit times will improve by as much as four days from the main Asian markets to Bremerhaven and Rotterdam, and Eastbound services from Rotterdam to Shangai are to see transit cut to five days. Felixstowe will benefit from changes to the Swan service with direct services from Shanghai, Ningbo and Qingdao. MSC’s strategic hub of Antwerp is included on four of the five loops; Albatros, Shogun (EB) and Lion, Swan (WB). The improvements to the network are anticipated to be fully phased-in during the third quarter of 2016.