Swire to rebrand services

Swire to rebrand services    China Navigation Co Ltd. has announced a rebranding plan that will retire the names of several shipping lines to the history books.
   The company said it will “consolidate the majority of its liner shipping services under a new entity, Swire Shipping Ltd., a new company recently incorporated in the United Kingdom.”
   Swire Shipping will become the new brand, and current brands APIL, Chief Container Service, Crocodile Line, Indotrans, Indotrans Pacific and New Guinea Pacific Line will be retired. The Bank Line will be temporarily retained and gradually phased out during the course of 2007.
   The company said service framework and existing network of management offices will not be affected by this change.
   Other lines in which the company has a hand — Greater Bali Hai, NGPL Japan South Pacific Line and Tasman Orient Line — are not included in the brand rationalization because they have separate shareholding structures.
   “Our services, which span the globe, will operate under one united brand, giving customers greater clarity as to the breadth of our services,” said Ulrich Stelling, chief executive officer of Swire Shipping. “We recognize the commercial value and customer loyalty attached to the retiring brands. We believe, however, that the attributes that have made these services so successful will be enhanced by the rebranding.”