APL, CP SHIPS MORE THAN DOUBLE CAPACITY ON ASIA/MEXICO SERVICE

APL, CP SHIPS MORE THAN DOUBLE CAPACITY ON ASIA/MEXICO SERVICE    APL and CP Ships-owned TMM Lines and Lykes Lines are introducing vessels of about 4,000-TEU capacity in their joint Mexico Asia Express service to replace ships of just 1,600 TEUs. The upsizing of the service will more than double its weekly capacity, and add about 125,000 TEUs in annual one-way capacity.
   From March 13, the service will deploy six 4,050-TEU ships — four from TMM Lines and two from APL. They have an operating speed of 24.5 knots and reefer capacity of 400 TEUs.
   The carriers are also adding calls at the booming Chinese ports of Shanghai and Chiwan to the port rotation of the service. The revised rotation is Chiwan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pusan, Yokohama, Los Angeles, Ensenada, Manzanillo, Yokohama, Kobe, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong and Chiwan.
   APL said that the service offers rapid transit times from Taiwan, Korea and Japan to Ensenada, a port gateway to the “maquiladora” manufacturing region of Mexico.
   The increased vessel capacity of the APL/CP Ships Asia/Mexico service follows the recent introduction by CP Ships of a new Asia/Canada/Alaska transpacific service.