WAN HAI CONFIRMS ENTRY IN PACIFIC TRADE

WAN HAI CONFIRMS ENTRY IN PACIFIC TRADE    Taiwan’s Wan Hai Lines, the largest intra-Asia carrier, confirmed that it will enter the transpacific trade during the forthcoming peak season.
   Wan Hai will take space on an Asia/U.S. West Coast transpacific service operated by CMA CGM.
   Wan Hai and CMA CGM have notified a proposed cooperation agreement to the U.S. Federal Maritime Commission.
   Under the agreement, they would have the authority to charter slots to each other on vessels operating in the trades between the U.S. West Coast and ports in the Far East in the Japan/Singapore/South East Asia range.
   Wan Hai and CMA CGM requested expedited approval by the FMC.
   The details of Wan Hai’s new Pacific service have not been finalized, a spokesman for Wan Hai said. Details of the service will be announced by Wan Hai by next month, he added.
   Wan Hai is a sister company of Trans-Pacific Lines, which recently expanded the capacity of its own Asia/U.S. West Coast service.