PIL to start own transpacific service

PIL to start own transpacific service    Pacific International Lines will start its own China/U.S. West Coast service next month.
   The China-TransPacific (CTP) service will commence on April 6 with a sailing from Hong Kong and a port rotation of Hong Kong, Shekou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Long Beach and back to Hong Kong.
   The weekly service will have a round trip of 35 days deploying five ships of 1,3500-TEU capacities operated by PIL.
   “The launch of the CTP service is part of our continuing strategic progression following the end of our cooperation with 'K' Line and Wan Hai in the transpacific market,” said Ee Pei of the company’s research and strategic planning department, in a letter in response to a query from American Shipper. “This independent service will enable PIL to be more responsive to changing market conditions and thus better serve the needs of our customers.”
   Norton Lilly will act as the carrier’s agent in the United States.
   PIL is one of several companies announcing new services in the transpacific during the past week.
   Last Friday, The Containership Company said it would launch a new service between the Yangtze River port of Taicang and Southern California in April, also using small ships, five vessels ranging from 2,600 TEUs to 2,900 TEUs.
   Horizon Lines also said last Friday it would stop wholesaling space on its five 2,824-TEU ships to Maersk Line and begin operating its own eastbound service across the Pacific.
   In response, Maersk said it was “carefully watching market developments and reviewing customer requirements. Once these are made clear we will release a plan designed to replace TP1 (Maersk’s term for the Horizon ships) capacity. You can expect to see this plan in the third quarter when customer requirements for 2011 will be better known.' ' Chris Dupin