Swire upgrades breakbulk services

Swire upgrades breakbulk services Swire Shipping said it is upgrading its eastbound round-the-world service and starting a new service to the Middle East.
   On its Eastabout Round the World Service, linking North American ports with the Middle East and India, Swire said capacity will be upgraded with two 30,000-deadweight-ton ships being added to the existing four 41,000 dwt vessels. The Pacific Dream and Pacific Destiny are multipurpose, tween-deck vessels each with their own cranes capable of handling heavy lift cargoes up to 200 metric tons.
   With six ships in the rotation, frequency from U.S. ports to Saudi Arabia and India will improve from monthly to twice monthly, while at the same time adding two new Arabian Gulf ports — Dammam and Jebel Ali.
   The two additional vessels will be deployed in a pendulum loop, returning from Mumbai to the U.S. Gulf through the Suez Canal, adding a westbound capability to the existing framework.
   “A number of our existing customers have expressed interest in our offering a broader Middle East service network, including the Arabian Gulf ports,” said Scott Krantzcke, line manager for the Eastabout RTW service. He noted the ships are versatile, able to carry containers, general breakbulk, bulk, project and heavy lift cargoes.
   The two new ships in the pendulum loop will make the following rotation: Houston; Saint John, N.B.; Camden, N.J.; through the Suez Canal; Jeddah; Dammam; Jebel Ali; Mumbai; and through the Suez Canal to Houston.
   The ships in the Eastabout loop will make this rotation: New Orleans, Freeport, Houston, Camden, Saint John, Livorno, through the Suez Canal, Jeddah, Gizan, Mumbai, Singapore, Jakarta, Lae, Apia, Pago Pago, Papeete, and through the Panama Canal to New Orleans.