Cosco, K Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin Shipping and Evergreen announced they have filed an application for wider cooperation to the US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC).

A “formal letter” has also been sent to China’s ministry of transport, with the European Union also being informed.

The shipowners said they would follow the same pattern of cooperation used in Asia to Europe services.

“This expanded cooperation will provide the carriers with greater operational flexibility and will permit each of them to better serve its customers, offering wider port coverage, increased frequency of sailings and stable transit times,” the group said.

It