NEWS
Major Service Enhancements Announced by MSC – Customer Update
Release time:
2026-05-06 10:33
On May 6, 2026, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) announced a significant upgrade to its Asia–Mediterranean shipping services aimed at delivering more competitive transit times, wider direct port connections, and improved service reliability for customers on key east‑west trades.
Upgrades on the DRAGON Service
The enhanced DRAGON service will introduce new direct port calls at Málaga (Spain) and Naples (Italy), opening more efficient access to southern Spain and southern Italy markets.
In addition, MSC plans to offer competitive transit times to Genoa and La Spezia, with the Shanghai → Genoa transit expected to shorten by up to 7 days compared with previous schedules.
The first sailing under the upgraded DRAGON rotation is voyage FD621W, expected to arrive in Ningbo on May 18, 2026. The updated port rotation is:
Ningbo – Shanghai – Yantian – Singapore – Málaga – Genoa – La Spezia – Naples – Sines – Boston – New York – Baltimore – Norfolk – Savannah – Freeport – Ningbo
This revised rotation provides broader European connectivity while maintaining strong links to major U.S. east coast gateways.
TIGER Service Improvements
On the TIGER service, Taekirdag (Turkey) has been introduced as a first port of call, creating a seamless trade corridor into the Black Sea and Turkish markets. Transit times from Asia to key Turkish destinations such as Istanbul and Yalova are expected to be reduced by approximately 4 days. MSC also announced the inclusion of Aliaga on the rotation, which is projected to cut transit times by up to one week for containers for the Turkish market.
The inaugural voyage of the upgraded TIGER service is GT620W, scheduled to arrive in Dalian on May 15, 2026. The rotation for this service is:
Dalian – Xinxing – Busan – Ningbo – Shanghai – Shekou – Singapore – Taekirdag – Yalova – Istanbul – Taekirdag – Aliaga – Mersin – Abidjan – Lomé – Hong Kong – Xiamen – Dalian
Strategic Positioning and Network Benefits
MSC operates an extensive east–west independent shipping network, including multiple Asia–Mediterranean services designed to balance port coverage with competitive transit times. Through these enhancements to DRAGON and TIGER, MSC aims to strengthen its service offering between Asia, the Mediterranean region, and beyond, giving shippers more direct port access, improved schedule reliability, and reduced overall transit durations.
These network developments reflect MSC’s ongoing efforts to adapt to shifting cargo demand patterns, optimize vessel rotations, and support efficient global supply chain operations.
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