CaroTrans adds all-water Charleston/Tokyo link

CaroTrans adds all-water Charleston/Tokyo link    CaroTrans International, a neutral non-vessel-operating common carrier, is adding a weekly all-water, direct service for less-than-containerload cargo from Charleston, S.C., to Tokyo and Yokohama.
   Transit time from Charleston to Tokyo and Yokohama is two days faster than the previous landbridge service, the company said.
   “The two days is just scheduled transit times,” CaroTrans said. The difference would be greater if cargo delays due to rail and West Coast port congestion occur, the NVOCC noted.
   “Shippers using this new all-water service bypass those potential problems and help alleviate the continuing congestion there,” CaroTrans added.
   Cargo destined for other Japanese ports will continue to be shipped via the landbridge to Los Angeles and then on to Japan.
   According to ComPair Data, the global liner-shipping database, five weekly liner services provide a direct, all-water link between Charleston and Tokyo/Yokohama. They are:
   * The “NUE” service of Evergreen, Lloyd Triestino and Hatsu Marine.
   * The “East Coast South” service of the Grand Alliance (Hapag-Lloyd, NYK, OOCL and P&O Nedlloyd).
   * Maersk Sealand’s “TP3” and “TP7” loops.
   * The “APX” service of the New World Alliance (APL, Hyundai and MOL).