MSC and ONE to continue Ipanema service without Hapag-Lloyd

MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and Ocean Network Express (ONE) will continue operating the Ipanema service between Asia and the East Coast of South America under a revised vessel-sharing agreement that excludes Hapag-Lloyd.

The existing Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA), involving all three carriers, will end in its current configuration. MSC and ONE will maintain the weekly service, with the first sailing under the new arrangement scheduled to depart Shanghai on April 3, 2027.

MSC said it will deploy additional vessels as part of the revised cooperation, although the number of ships being added was not disclosed.

Ipanema service to retain existing port coverage

The Ipanema service will continue connecting major Asian ports with destinations along the East Coast of South America, including Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina.

Direct calls will be maintained at Santos, Paranaguá and Navegantes in Brazil, alongside Montevideo and Buenos Aires in the River Plate region.

The full port rotation under the new MSC and ONE agreement will be:

Shanghai – Ningbo – Shekou – Hong Kong – Singapore – Santos – Paranaguá – Navegantes – Montevideo – Buenos Aires – Rio Grande – Paranaguá – Navegantes – Santos – Singapore – Hong Kong – Shanghai.

The rotation includes additional calls at Paranaguá, Navegantes and Santos on the return leg before vessels head back towards Asia via Singapore and Hong Kong.

According to MSC, the revised arrangement will preserve weekly sailings and existing connections between Asian export markets and South American destinations.

The announcement did not specify the reasons for Hapag-Lloyd’s departure from the agreement or disclose further details of the vessel-sharing arrangements between MSC and ONE.