WAN HAI LINES (WHL) has announced that it is resuming its Far East to Black Sea service called FBS, which will be jointly operated with Pacific International Lines (PIL).

"In 2009, due to the sudden market downturn, WHL and PIL suspended their FBS service. In order to meet customers' requirement to provide additional service coverage, both parties decide to resume their Black Sea Joint service by deploying eight vessels with capacity 2,500 TEU. WHL will provide three and PIL will provide five vessels for the joint service," a statement from the carriers said.

The port rotation will be: Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Shekou, Singapore, Port Kelang, Port Said, Alexandria, Istanbul, Odessa, Alexandria, Port Kelang, Singapore, and back to Shanghai.

Both carriers said they will add Novorossiyk as a direct port of call from Asia at a later stage.

The FBS offers a transit time of 22 days from Shanghai to Port Said, 23 days to Alexandria, and 28 days to Odessa. Together with the existing Far East-Black Sea service covering Damietta, Istanbul, Ilyichevsk and Constanta, WHL will now provide customers with two dedicated services into the East Mediterranean and Black Sea areas.