The Premier Alliance still has some homework to do before its launch and will probably start late.
The Premier Alliance was formed following the announced withdrawal of Hapag-Lloyd and consists of the remaining partners of “THE Alliance” – ONE (Japan), HMM (South Korea) and Yang Ming (Taiwan).
The original plan was to open the booking portal these days for the period from 1 February 2025, as others, for example the Gemini Cooperation of Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd, have already done. The powerful US regulatory authority FMC (Federal Maritime Commission) has now apparently vetoed the move.
FMC demands further information from the Alliance
As is not unusual in alliance matters, the authority in Washington is demanding clarification on further details of the planned alliance. According to the agency, the agreement submitted is not detailed enough to fully understand the potential impact on competition. Among other things, the “Premier Alliance” wants to cooperate with MSC on some routes.
This will probably postpone the start of operational sales activities at the “Premier Alliance” until the end of December.
