In a striking development, MSC’s embattled standalone Phoenix service on the Asia-Europe trade has been effectively discontinued. eeSea analysts have confirmed that the service no longer appears on MSC’s point-to-point search or the carrier’s vessel voyage search. The suspension follows weeks of erratic scheduling adjustments and casts further doubt on the viability of MSC’s much-touted replacement for the former 2M - Adriatic MED loop.
The standalone MSC-Phoenix service began on a rocky road, with its start date postponed several times, as detailed in a previous eeSea report. Initially slated to commence on March 14, 2025, the service suffered three major delays, culminating in a revised proforma start date of May 4, 2025, with the MSC CANCUN set to undertake its maiden voyage under this line. However, even this timeline collapsed after MSC abruptly withdrew the MSC SHANELLE V and MSC MARIA CLARA both undergoing shipyard work, from the lineup, replacing them with the MSC CANCUN and a “To Be Named” (TBN) vessel. The MSC SHANELLE V has since left the shipyard and is currently operating on the MSC-Lone Star Express | ZIM-ZGC, an Asia-North America service. The MSC CANCUN is now serving as an extra vessel calling at African ports, while the MSC MARIA CLARA has not moved since February 9, 2025, when she last called at Vung Tau; she remains listed as an extra vessel on MSC’s voyage search.
eeSea’s decision to suspend the Phoenix service despite the absence of an official MSC advisory, stems from an inability to trace any vessels assigned to the loop. This follows MSC’s quiet removal of the service from its customer-facing tools, signaling a likely internal cancellation.
Meanwhile, the predecessor, Adriatic MED service, once operated under the 2M Alliance, is nearing its end. The final vessel, the 13,082 TEU SPEED, is scheduled to call at Singapore on May 21, 22 days behind its original ETA—marking the closure of another 2M Alliance route. The delay underscores lingering disruptions in global networks, though MSC’s failure to seamlessly transition to Phoenix leaves a capacity gap on the Asia-Europe corridor.
The Phoenix service has been a moving target since its inception, and the lack of vessel commitments, coupled with perpetual start-date revisions, suggests MSC never fully operationalized this loop. Nonetheless, this does not rule out a potential revival of the service should market conditions improve.
For more play-by-play insights on vessel schedules and forecasts, or an overview of trade lane evolution on the heels of the latest alliance overhauls, please check out our other eeSea publications or reach out to our team at contact@eesea.com