APL adding Japan-Malaysia-Vietnam service

The service will commence sailing June 17 from Osaka and provide weekly connectivity between North Asia and Southeast Asia.

    Container carrier APL announced Thursday a new Japan-Malaysia-Vietnam (JMV) service that will provide weekly connectivity between North Asia and Southeast Asia.
   The service will commence sailing from Osaka June 17 with a rotation of Osaka — Kobe — Nagoya — Yokohama — Tokyo — Hong Kong — Singapore — Port Klang (N) — Port Klang (W) — Singapore ¬— Ho Chi Minh — Shekou — Kaohsiung — Osaka.
   “The JMV service will offer one of the most comprehensive North Asian market coverage comprising five Japanese main ports as well as Hong Kong, Shekou and Taiwan,” the carrier said in a statement. “Shippers from Kanto and Kansai regions will also find an alternative access to Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam via the JMV service and vice versa.”
   APL is a member of the CMA CGM Group, which said last week it is targeting to reduce costs by $1.5 billion. CMA CGM also will continue to rationalize its various brands, and APL will focus on the transpacific, Asia-Indian Subcontinent, intra-Asia (with CNC) and Asia-Oceania markets as well as continuing to operate its U.S.-flag services.