Evergreen continues to upgrade intra-Asia service network

Monday, 13 October 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Evergreen Line has partnered with Mariana Express in launching a joint South China-East Malaysia (SEM) Service. The new initiative which commenced in September gives a significant boost to the service offered to shippers on this important sector of the Intra-Asian trade. The SEM service employs two ships with around 1,000 teu capacity each. Sailings will be weekly and follow the port rotation: Shekou - Hong Kong - Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia) - Muara (Brunei) - Bintulu (Malaysia) - Shekou. As part of its on-going efforts to improve network connections in this region, Evergreen Line will also take space on Interasia Lines’ Singapore - Yangon (Burma) - Malaysia (SYM) service based on a slot swap arrangement. Providing Evergreen customers with an additional feeder connection to Yangon, the SYM loop will call at Singapore, Yangon, Port Klang, Yangon and then back to Singapore. The ASEAN countries, made up of South-east Asian states, boast some of the world’s highest forecast rates of economic growth currently. In 2014 the ASEAN economy as a whole looks set to grow by 4.6% and for 2015 the estimate is 5.6% growth according to the IMF’s World Economic Outlook report published in July. The ASEAN community recently set as a priority the successful conclusion of negotiations with China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand to establish the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). It is believed that this significant development will further encourage free trade and have the effect of driving cargo growth within the Intra-Asia trade.

Evergreen expands Asia-South Africa service

In order to offer a more comprehensive service on the Asia-South Africa trade, Evergreen Line is to adjust its existing joint service with COSCO as well as contribute vessels to the service currently operated by K Line, MOL and PIL. Both moves will take effect in October. Evergreen will deploy two 4,200 TEU vessels on both the FAX service operated by COSCO and Evergreen as well as the ASA service, becoming joint service partners with K Line, MOL and PIL. The port rotations, vessel sizes and effective dates of the adjustments are as follows: FAX route: effective as of the Shanghai sailing on October 15 Rotation: Shanghai - Ningbo - Keelung - Singapore - Durban - Singapore - Shanghai Fleet: six 4,200 - 5,800 TEU vessels ASA route: effective as of the Kaohsiung sailing on October 9 Rotation: Kaohsiung - Xiamen - Hong Kong - Shekou - Singapore - Port Klang - Durban - Cape Town - Port Klang - Singapore - Kaohsiung Fleet: seven 4,200 - 5,800 TEU vessels This development of strategic cooperation with Evergreen’s service partners will increase the line’s frequency of sailings on the Asia - South Africa trade from weekly to twice weekly and add Keelung, Xiamen and Port Klang to its service network.