Singapore-headquartered container carrier APL will start a new weekly US-flagged service to connect key markets in North Asia with the US West coast, from where it will have inland rail connections.

Eagle Express Service (EXI) will rotate between the ports of Qingdao, Shanghai, Busan, Los Angeles, Oakland, Dutch Harbor, Yokohama, Busan, Naha, Qingdao, and back to Shanghai.

Image: chandru

Six vessels with a nominal capacity of 5,100 TEUs will be deployed for the service. The first sailing will be from Qingdao, China, on 1 November.

EXI also provides speedy transits to Los Angeles in just 13 days from Shanghai, China, and 11 days from Busan, South Korea.

"We are committed to adding robustness to the supply chains of our customers. Whether it is shipment to the US west coast or its inland destinations, time-sensitive shippers can now take advantage of the superior transit times and on-time assurance offered by APL's Eagle Express Service," said APL president Kenneth Glenn.

EXI includes exclusive calls at the ports of Dutch Harbor, the United States, and Naha, Japan, allowing westbound shippers to gain access to these markets.

Shipment from Dutch Habor will take only seven days to arrive in Yokohama, Japan.

Source: ihsmaritime360.com