Singapore's intra MCC Transport is making changes to its intra Asia services with the launch of an additional loop connecting South East Asia, the Philippines, Taiwan, South China and Cambodia, and amendments to two existing loops.

The new loop dubbed IA-9, a name already used in the past by two other MCC loops serving intra Asia, will not only call at ports in the regional markets it serves, but also provide feeder links for Maersk, its parent company.

Of note, the Philippines (Luzon Island) will not be served through Manila owing to severe congestion, but instead via the port of Batangas, located 100 kilometres to the south of the capital, reported Alphaliner.

The port rotation for the IA-9 is Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Batangas, Kaohsiung, Shenzhen-Yantian, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Sihanoukville and back to Tanjung Pelepas.

The service to be operated by four ships will commence on October 8 and will turn in four weeks.

MCC is also revising the port rotation of its Russia-China-SE Asia IA-5 loop to call at Xingang, Qingdao, Tanjung Pelepas, Singapore, Sihanoukville, Ho Chi Minh City, Shenzhen-Yantian, Shanghai, Busan, Vladivostok (Fish Port), Vladivostok (Dalzavod), Daesan, returning to Xingang.

It is also to add a call at Nansha on its IA-4 loop, replacing Hong Kong