[ APL Launches 2nd in a Series of Dedicated Intra-Asi..]

APL Launches 2nd in a Series of Dedicated Intra-Asia Service;
This One Links North Asia with Indonesia, Philippines

APL, which earlier this year introduced a special intra-Asia container
service linking Japan with Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, is now
adding a second dedicated loop to its regional menu: a weekly service
linking Japan and Indonesia, with direct calls also in Taiwan, the Phi
lillines and Hong Kong.
The first southbound sailing from Japan is due to depart Tokyo on Nove
mber 26. The first northbound sailing from Indonesia will depart Surab
aya on December 10.
Torey Presti, APL’s vice president for intra-Asia, said APL’s dedic
ated north-south services are complementary to the strong intra-ASEAN
services already offered by Neptune Orient Lines(NOL). He said one of
the benefits of the recently concluded merger between NOL and APL will
be the ability to offer even more comprehensive market coverage for i
ntra-Asia shippers. “We have already seen how NOL’s strong intra-ASE
AN infrastructure has facilitated the start-up of this new service,”
he noted.
Four fast, self-sustaining containerships, contributed by both APL and
Wanhai Lines of Taipei, will be deployed in the new service, which wi
ll be jointly managed by the two companies. It will utilize dedicated
APL terminals in Yokohama, Kobe and Kaosiung, helping to ensure schedu
le reliability in these busy ports.
The vessel rotation will be Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kobe, Keelung, Hon
g Kong, Manila, Surabaya, Jakarta, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Tokyo.