Japanese shippers launch new South America services

By replacing some of its current 3,000 teu class vessels with larger and faster ships, MOL will be able to provide stable cargo capacity and higher schedule integrity in this growing market. Calling ports and transit times remain unchanged from the existing service.

Eleven ships (five 3,000 teu and six 4,4,250 teu) will be deployed on the fixed-day weekly service. The rotation will be Kobe – Yokohama – Nagoya – Pusan – Shanghai – Yantian – Hong Kong – Singapore – Santos – Buenos Aires – Montevideo – Paranagua – Sao Francisco do Sul – Santos – Rio de Janeiro – Cape Town – Port Elizabeth – Singapore – Hong Kong – Kobe.

Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K” Line) meanwhile will launch a new service between Asia and East Coast South America in June 2009. The weekly service will be operated with ten Panamax-size vessels, in partnership with PIL, with five vessels deployed by each partner. The service will connect China and East Coast South America directly and will be supported by “K” Line’s service network in the Asia-Pacific/Indian Ocean region.