Singapore-based carriers APL and Pacific International Lines (PIL) will launch a joint service in late June 2012 linking the Far East and Red Sea.
In a joint statement the two carriers noted that the Red Sea is an important market for exporters in Central and Southern China. They added that the weekly sailings will provide competitive transit times from Asia to the Red Sea via the transshipment hub in Singapore.
Eight ships with capacity of 6,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) will be deployed, with APL to operate three and PIL to operate five.
First sailing will be from Shanghai on June 21. Port rotation covers Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Chiwan, Nansha, Singapore, Djibouti, Aden, Jeddah, Sukhna, Aqaba, Djibouti, Singapore, Nansha, Shanghai.
Photo: pmarkham
