APL joins up transpac/Asia-Middle East loops

   The liner carrier APL is set to join one of its transpacific services with a China-Middle East service in a new pendulum rotation, the carrier confirmed to American Shipper Wednesday.
   The merged service will combine APL’s PS1 transpacific loop – which it runs in conjunction with New World Alliance partners MOL and Hyundai Merchant Marine – with APL’s standalone CMX service between China and the Middle East.
   According to American Shipper affiliate ComPair Data, the current PS1 has a rotation of Laem Chabang, Singapore, Cai Mep, Yantian, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Busan, Seattle, Vancouver, Yokohama, Kaohsiung, Chiwan, and Laem Chabang. The CMX has a current rotation of Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Singapore, Jebel Ali, Sharjah, Sohar, Singapore, Kaohsiung, and Shanghai.
The two services are together run with 12 APL ships of between 3,000 TEUs and 5,900 TEUs of capacity.
   APL didn’t specify what the joint rotation would be, but a Containerisation International report this week suggested that the calls at Cai Mep and Laem Chabang would be omitted. The report also said the joint service would be operated with 10 ships, meaning two ships less than the services use at present. The report also said MOL and Hyundai would continue to participate in the revised service, which APL will continues to call PS1.