More transpacific service changes for Evergreen

More transpacific service changes for Evergreen    Evergreen Line said Friday it is changing port rotations in Asia of two more transpacific services to achieve faster transit times between key export ports.
   The rotation changes will be made later this month to its Asia/U.S. East Coast (AUE) and China/U.S. West Coast (CPS) services. The notice comes a day after Evergreen said it was similarly switching the order of Asian ports on its Asia/Panama (FPS) service.
   On the AUE, the port order in Asia will change to Taipei, Hong Kong, Yantian and Kaohsiung, from Yantian, Hong Kong and Kaohsiung. The move shortens transit time from Yantian to the first U.S. East Coast call (Savannah, Ga.) by two days. Transit time from Hong Kong and Kaohsiung to Savannah is unchanged. The service also now starts from the new container terminal in Taipei, whose investors include Evergreen.
   The new rotation, as of April 24, will be Taipei, Hong Kong, Yantian, Kaohsiung, Colon Container Terminal, Savannah, New York, Baltimore, Colon Container Terminal and Taipei. The weekly service uses seven vessels of 4,211 TEUs and one of 5,000 TEUs, according to ComPairData.
   The CPS service, which links northern Chinese ports to Los Angeles and Oakland, will see transit time between Shanghai and Los Angeles pared from 15 days to 12 by moving a stop in Qingdao before the Shanghai calls, rather than after.
   Transit time from Ningbo to Los Angeles is now 11 days instead of 13, while transit time from Qingdao to Los Angeles will grow from 12 to 14 days.      
   The new rotation, as of April 18, will be Xingang, Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Los Angeles, Oakland and Xingang. The CPS service uses two 7,500-TEU vessels and three of about 6,300 TEUs, according to ComPairData.