APL Halves Transit Time to Subcontinent

APL's participation in a new, direct weekly container service between
Singapore, the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East will slash tra
nsit times, increase customer IT support and have a positive impact fu
rther down the supply chain as well, the carrier said today.
The new Gulf Asia Line Express (GALEX) service cuts six days from APL'
s service to Nhava Sheva, India from both the United States and variou
s ports of North and South Asia by linking Singapore and Nhava Sheva d
irectly. Halving the usual 12-day transit time from Singapore makes th
e GALEX service one of the most competitive in the industry.
"Our strategy was to complement APL's already comprehensive intra-Asia
network by vastly improving transit times from Asia to the Subcontine
nt," said Dan McHugh, president for Asia and the Middle East. He note
d that APL, as the largest carrier from Asia to the Gulf and Red Sea,
already offers especially competitive eastbound transits via its West
Asia Express service from the Arabian Gulf to Hong Kong and the Red Se
a Express to North Asia.
In addition, the new service will enable APL to extend its award-winni
ng Internet-based cargo-tracking capabilities. This is because custom
ers in markets served by the GALEX will have the same access to APL's
electronic container-tracking, booking and documentation capabilities
as customers in the Americas, Europe and elsewhere in Asia.
There are also flow-on benefits to trans-Pacific customers concerned t
o speed up refrigerated goods originating in North America and to exte
nd cargo-loading deadlines in Karachi, Pakistan. APL will contribute o
ne of the four vessels, and the service commences June 24 with the sai
ling from Singapore of the MC Sapphire. GALEX will offer fixed-day-of
-the-week calls at Singapore; Nhava Sheva, India; Khorfakkan and Jebel
Ali, United Arab Emirates; Karachi, Pakistan; Nhava Sheva; Cochin and
Tuticorin, India; and Port Klang, Malaysia. Service to Nhava Sheva fr
om Yantian, China and Hong Kong has been cut by five days, and from Lo
s Angeles by six days. From Jebel Ali, UAE to Karachi, the transit ti
me has been cut from five days to three. Also, eastbound transit time
from Karachi has been improved by two days.
APL will now provide a direct, 10-day link between Nhava Sheva and Por
t Klang, Malaysia, and will be making direct calls for the first time
at Tuticorin and Cochin, India.
"These direct calls will enable us to open new markets and sourcing op
portunities for our customers throughout Asia, the Middle East and the
Americas," said McHugh.
As previously announced, the other partners in the service are Samuder
a Shipping Lines, CMA-CGM SA, and Contship Container Lines.