The G6 Alliance of ocean carriers announced a change to the service it provides between Asia and the East Coast of North America.

The Asia Suez Express (AZX) service will be upgraded to include an additional Halifax call. That move is expected to improve transit times from Canada to Asian and Mediterranean ports as well as from Asian and Mediterranean ports to New York, according to a statement from the alliance.

The alliance said the change was made “in response to market demand.”

The G6 Alliance, originally serving the Asia-to-Europe-and-Mediterranean market, was announced toward the end of 2011. The alliance expanded service to North America in 2013. The G6 Alliance members are the carriers in the Grand Alliance and New World Alliance: APL, Hapag-Lloyd AG, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Mitsui O.S.K Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha and Orient Overseas Container Line.

The AZX new port rotation is:

Laem Chabang – Singapore – Colombo – Damietta – Cagliari – Halifax – New York – Savannah – Norfolk – Halifax – Cagliari – Damietta – Jebel Ali – Singapore – Laem Chabang

The first vessel to be making the voyage, the Budapest Express, which departed Laem Chabang, Thailand, on July 6, is expected to arrive in Halifax on August 4.