PIL, Wan Hai Lines, Cosco, Hanjin to offer CLX service

PACIFIC International Lines (PIL) and Wan Hai Lines are back together on the transpacific trade ending a 12-month separation.


The pair is teaming up with Hanjin Shipping and Cosco on the new Central China-Long Beach Express (CLX) service that will link Fuzhou, Shanghai, Ningbo and Yokohama to Long Beach.


The service is scheduled to start on April 4 with the 4,252-TEU Wan Hai 505 undertaking the maiden voyage from Fuzhou, reports Alphaliner.


It said the CLX will deploy five ships ranging in size from 4,000- to 4,400-TEU, with Cosco operating two and PIL, Wan Hai Lines and Hanjin providing one each.


PIL and Wan Hai had first formed a partnership on the transpacific trade lane in March 2007 with their joint CTP service that Wan Hai had originally commenced independently in June 2001. The CTP was scrapped in November 2008 when the pair joined "K" Line on its PSW loop.


Wan Hai Lines departed from the PSW in March 2010 to team up with Hanjin Shipping on the south east Asia-Japan-California Express service (SJX) by bringing in one 4,024-TEU vessel to the service, the Hanjin Osaka, under charter from Hanjin. As for PIL, it left the PSW in April last year to commence an independent service, the CTP.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)