APL launches Asia-Australia service loops

Singapore, 2 May, 2008 - APL, a global leader in container shipping, is enhancing its service offering between Asia and Australia with the introduction of two new loops from May 2008.

The northbound China Australia North (CAN) will offer direct coverage from Japan, Korea and Central China to Australia. The southbound China Australia South (CAS) will offer direct coverage from South China to Australian ports.

The two loops are jointly offered by APL with Hamburg Sud, Hapag Lloyd and Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM).

The launch of these two loops helps us capitalise on robust trade growth between North Asia and Australia. The services will offer extensive coverage of Chinese ports as well as direct access from the Japan, Korea and Taiwan markets into and out of Australia, said Jason Wong, APL’s Vice President for Intra Asia.

The new services will also complement the existing APL network and provide unparalleled connectivity to the rest of the major trade lanes via the key relay hubs of Hong Kong and Kaohsiung.

APL, HMM and Hapag Lloyd will deploy two ships each while Hamburg Sud will deploy three vessels. Average capacity of tonnage is between 2,300 and 2,800 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit).

Port coverage for the CAN is: Yokohoma, Osaka, Pusan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Yokohama.

Port coverage for the CAS is: Kaohsiung, Yantian, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Kaohsiung.

About APL



APL is a global container shipping company offering more than 60 weekly services and nearly 300 calls at more than 90 ports in Asia, Europe, the Middle East and the Americas. It combines world-class intermodal operations with leading-edge IT and e-commerce. APL is a unit of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a global shipping and logistics company. APL Web site: www.apl.com

Source: NOL