Panalpina expands LCL offerings

The freight forwarding and logistics company launched two new less-than-container-load services.    Freight forwarding and logistics company Panalpina launched two new less-than-container load (LCL) services, adding that expansion and improvement of its LCL network is a “key priority.”
    One of the new LCL services is from Alexandria, Egypt to Singapore; while one runs from India to Switzerland via Italy, Panalpina said.
    In addition, the company increased the frequency of its Shanghai to Singapore service to four sailings per week, noting the service is “geared towards the technology industry. Because of short lead times of just seven days from port to port, and the unparalleled high frequency, this service provides a strong alternative to air freight,” Panalpina said.
   The Egypt-Singapore link follows Panalpina’s acquisition in 2015 of its former agent Afifi in Egypt. This service connects Panalpina’s local and international customers in Egypt to the company’s LCL network via the Singapore hub, thereby opening up markets in Asia and beyond.
   The weekly service from Nhava Sheva, India to Basel via Italy is “the only direct service to Switzerland in the market that enters Europe through a southern port. Traditionally, LCL shipments from the west coast of India to Switzerland are routed through the ports of the Hamburg-Antwerp range, but with this new service, consolidated containers move from the Port of La Spezia in Italy by railway to Basel. As a result, transit time is reduced by ten days, which is particularly interesting for Panalpina’s Swiss customers in retail and fashion, but also for customers in the technology, machinery and other sectors,” Panalpina said.
    “In 2015, 20 additional services, focused on intra-Asia, Asia to U.S. and Latin America to Europe were launched. Panalpina today offers approximately 500 LCL services in total.”