SINOTRANS INTRODUCES OWN SHIPS INTO ASIA/EUROPE SERVICE

SINOTRANS INTRODUCES OWN SHIPS INTO ASIA/EUROPE SERVICE    Chinese carrier Sinotrans Container Lines is introducing three 4,000-TEU vessels into its joint weekly Asia/northern Europe CEX service with members of the United Alliance.
   By deploying and operating containerships in the service, Sinotrans is changing its situation from a slot-charterer to a vessel-provider on the Asia/Europe route.
   The first Sinotrans-operated vessel, the Trade Tesia, will be phased into the CEX service on Dec. 24. Trade Freda will follow on Jan. 7, and Trade Hallie will enter the service on Jan. 21.
   The three ships will all be phased in from Xingang. They replace three smaller Hanjin-operated vessels, one of 2,123-TEUs and two of 2,386-TEUs, adding nearly 30,000-TEUs in annual one-way capacity.
   The service is operated jointly with the the United Alliance, whose carriers are Cho Yang Shipping, Hanjin Shipping, Senator Lines and United Arab Shipping Co.
   Sinotrans also recently changed its involvement from slot-charterer to vessel-provider in the transpacific container trade.