Cosco Shipping Lines is launching new transpacific express services from China to Prince Rupert and Los Angeles in the US meant to help aleviate the port congestion issues by increasing sailings.

The container shipping unit of Cosco Shipping said the CEN-EXPRESS from Qingdao and Shanghai, China to Prince Rupert --  North America's closest port to Asia --- is a new service offered by the company based on its long-term operation locally at Prince Rupert in British Columbia.

"The service aims to decrease a regular sailing time by two weeks as container lines look to increase frequency to beat congestion at ports," Cosco said, with five 4,250 TEU container vessels on weekly basis.

Meanwhile, for the CEN-PLUS service, Cosco assigned six 10,000 TEU containerships which will call at Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai and Los Angeles each week.