COSCO, "K" LINE AND YANGMING SEEK FURTHER COOPERATION

   Alliance partners China Ocean Shipping Co., "K" Line and Yangming Marine Transport have discussed the possibility of cooperating more closely.
   Following a meeting by representatives of the three Asian carriers in Tokyo, all parties agreed to deepen the current joint service cooperation, a spokesman for COSCO said.
   COSCO Container Lines is asking its regional offices and subsidiaries to comment on the alliance cooperation to rationalize and upgrade its current cooperation with "K" Line and Yangming.
   COSCO would then study and discuss other areas of cooperation with these partners, the Chinese shipping line said.
COSCO has operated within a global alliance with "K" Line and Yangming since January 1998. Details of the seven transpacific services, three Asia/Europe loops and two transatlantic operations of the alliance are posted on the ComPairData global shipping database at https://www.compairdata.com.
   The three shipping lines of the alliance have also ordered containerships of the same capacity, a move that is seen as a sign of further long-term operational integration.
   Yangming ordered five 5,500-TEU ships and recently announced a plan to order another two vessels of the same size. COSCO is having seven 5,250/5,500-TEU containerships built, with another three vessels on option. "K" Line is considering an order for eight ships of 5,500-TEU capacity.
   If all orders and options are confirmed, the Asian alliance will add 25 ships of about 5,500-TEU within the next two or three years.