Kuwait-based United Arab Shipping Company is participating in a new Asia-Black Sea service along with several other lines.

An announcement on the new Asia-East Mediterranean/Black Sea service named EBX (East-Mediterranean/Black Sea Express) was made jointly by The New World Alliance (TNWA) comprising Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), APL and Hyundai Merchant Marine Co (HMM) and by Hanjim Shipping Co and UASC.
“The new service will enable TNWA, Hanjim and UASC to offer a direct service from major Asian export hubs to key destinations in the East Mediterranean and Black Sea areas where the market is growing at remarkable speed,” the statement said. From early November 2007, the EBX service will deploy eight vessels, among which three will be operated by MOL, two by APL and one each by Hanjim, HMM and UASC. The vessels will range from 2,500 to 2,700 teu and ply on a weekly service operating on a 56-day rotation.
Ports featured in the rotation are Shanghai, Hong Kong, Yantian, Singapore, Damietta, Istanbul, Constanza, Illychevsk, Izmir and Jeddah.
The transit times to Shanghai from the following ports will be: Istanbul, 22 days; Constanza, 25 days and Illychevsk, 26 days.
Transit times to Yantian will be: from Istanbul 19 days; Constanza 22 days; Illychevks 23 days.
Transit times to Singapore will be: from Istanbul 15 days; Constanza 18 days; Illychevsk 19 days.
UASC was established in July 1976 jointly by Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.  The company owns and operates a fleet of 33 ships and all are classified as Lloyds X100A1X. The fleet includes 22 container ships of which 10 have a capacity of 3,800 teu each and three K-class general dry cargo ships each of 23,800 dwt.
Its authorised capital is $1.77 billion of which $991 million has been subscribed.
UASC has successfully diversified through its subsidiaries and joint ventures to provide a range of shipping-related services, which include shipping agencies, freight forwarding, land transportation, sea/air cargo, petrochemical transportation, chartering, container repairs and storage.