APL to launch additional transpacific peak season loop

SINGAPORE's Neptune Orient Lines' container shipping arm, APL, will launch an additional transpacific peak season service - the P1A - to start at the Shenzhen terminals of Yantian, Chiwan then head for to Busan before crossing to Seattle, Oakland, and putting into Hong Kong on its return to Yantian, reports Paris-based Alphaliner.

The six-week service will concentrate on the Busan-Seattle eastbound headhaul and with the sailing of the 4,256-TEU APL Shanghai, 2,141-TEU Eric G Gibson, 3,534-TEU APL Minneapolois and the 3,534-TEU APL Sydney.

Since May, APL has deployed a peak season service linking China and Korea to California, the PS-5, part of the New World Alliance offering. But the P1A is independently operated by APL and is expected to run until October, said Alphaliner.

APL was the only carrier to launch a transpacific peak season service in 2009, deploying six 3,300-4,700 TEU ships, and ran it from August to November. That service called at Kaohsiung, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Guangzhou-Nansha, Fuzhou, Shanghai, Los Angeles, Oakland and back Kaohsiung.
(Source:www.schednet.com)