APL, MOL PHASE IN POST-PANAMAX SHIPS IN ASIA-MIDEAST SERVICE

APL, MOL PHASE IN POST-PANAMAX SHIPS IN ASIA-MIDEAST SERVICE    APL and MOL are phasing in five 4,700-TEU post-Panamax vessels into their Far East/Indian Subcontinent/Middle East “West Asia Express” joint service. The vessels, too wide to transit the Panama Canal, will replace the current 4,000-TEU-type ships deployed in this service. The joint operation is believed to be the first intra-Asia dedicated service that employs post-Panamax vessels.
   In early June, MOL joined the West Asia Express service, previously run by APL on its own, and commenced a Far East/Indian Subcontinent/Middle East container service under its own name.
   APL will operate four of the five ships in the service and MOL will operate one. Some of those large ships were previously operated on the Asia/Europe route.
   MOL will market this service under the name CMI, which stands for Container Service of Middle East and India.
   The weekly service has a rotation of Kaohsiung, Pusan, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Jebel Ali (Dubai), Fujairah, Nhava Sheva (Mumbai), Singapore and Kaohsiung.
   MOL said that the service provides good coverage of the emerging China market for the Middle East trade. It also provides a direct service from China to Nhava Sheva. “Furthermore, CMI offers our customers excellent connections from China to Europe on its westbound leg and from Gulf/India to North America on its eastbound leg via Singapore connection,” a MOL spokesman said.
   APL and MOL belong to the New World Alliance. Until now, post-Panamax containerships have only been deployed in the transpacific, Asia/Europe and Europe/Middle East trades.