THE Alliance is expected to raise capacity on its FE3 Far East-North Europe loop as Hapag-Lloyd and Ocean Network Express (ONE) take delivery of four more 24,000-TEU newbuildings in this month and next, reports Container News.

The four ships will replace vessels in the size range from 13,400 to 19,870 TEU, according to Alphaliner.

THE Alliance's third Asia-north Europe loop used to be operated with a mix of 16,010-TEU vessels from HMM and Hapag-Lloyd's vessels that have a nominal capacity of 14,993 TEU.

HMM's 23,964-TEU HMM Le Havre, delivered in April, began the capacity upgrade at that time, after which it was joined by several similar-sized vessels.

The FE3 currently turns in 12 weeks with a dozen ships ranging from 13,400 to 24,100 TEU, calling at Ningbo, Xiamen, Kaohsiung, Yantian, Singapore, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp, Southampton, Algeciras, Singapore, Yantian, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, and Ningbo.

ONE's new 24,136-TEU flagship, ONE Innovation, joined the fleet earlier in June in Ningbo and two more sister vessels are scheduled to phase into the service soon. ONE Infinity will join on July 16, followed by ONE Integrity on July 30.

Hapag-Lloyd's new LNG-powered 23,666-TEU flagship vessels will also join the FE3 soon, starting with the Manila Express on August 6. The lead ship of this series, the Berlin Express, was delivered on June 14, but it has not joined the Asia-Europe trade yet.

The ship will first perform a single round voyage on the Far East-Middle East AG3 service and then join the FE3 on 20 August. Berlin Express is scheduled to debut in its home port of Hamburg where it is expected to be christened on German Unity Day on October 3.

By then, half of the FE3 fleet will already consist of 24,000-TEU Megamax ships, the largest vessel generation currently in service. Smaller FE3 ships to be replaced in the coming weeks and months include the 13,371 TEU Rome Express and Hapag-Lloyd's first LNG-powered ship, the 14,600-TEU Brussels Express. The latter will be shifted to the Asia-Mediterranean MD2 loop.