APL starts direct Vietnam/WCNA

APL starts direct Vietnam/WCNA    APL said Thursday it will start a new weekly direct container shipping service linking Vietnam and the U.S. West Coast.
   Previously, Vietnam's exporters had to rely on small feeder vessels to connect with larger ships to gain access to overseas consumer markets, such as the United States. The first departure of the APL-operated service on June 4 will directly link Vietnam's exporters to the carrier's transpacific routes.
   'This is the beginning of a new era for trade with Vietnam and marks its increased importance as a manufacturing and export center,' said Eng Aik Meng, president of APL, in a statement. 'It also shows that, even during these challenging times, APL is committed to expanding service innovations where long-term customer demand will be greatest.'
   APL conducted a market study of Vietnam in 2007 and concluded that the Southeast Asian country's transition to a market economy and the fulfillment of its potential as a trading nation will be accelerated as it 'fast-tracks' the development of transportation infrastructure and logistics systems.
   'The launch of the service is a recognition that Vietnam has not only established a strong market presence among the world's leading shippers and manufacturers, but it is delivering on its commitment to modernize transportation infrastructure such as state-of-the-art port facilities capable of handling large deepwater containerships,' Eng said.
   The 4,250-TEU APL Denver, which is deployed on APL's Pacific South 1 (PS1) service, is scheduled to make one of the first calls at the Saigon Port-PSA facility in the first week of June. SP-PSA is Vietnam's first operational deepwater container terminal serving Ho Chi Minh City.
   Vietnam is one of the few countries in Asia projecting solid export growth in 2009. The majority of that trade expansion will be with North America, which is Vietnam's largest export market, the carrier noted.
   APL and its parent NOL have had a long association with Vietnam. APL-NOL became the first Singapore-based transportation and logistics company to establish wholly owned operations in Vietnam on Jan. 1, 2007. NOL is a also major investor in Vietnam International Container Terminal, which became the country's first purpose-built container terminal when it commenced operations in 1998.