Strong growth potential in the regional trade sector, particular the intra-Asia region, is prompting lines to expand their coverage of the sector either by setting up new services, or increasing capacity on existing connections.

Analysts believe the Asia regional trade boom mainly comes from increased local demand, but also on top of this, is the added plus points of offering calls at ports which also connect with the lines’ mainhaul trade links which offers added East/West trade connections.

Heading the list of lines addressing the trade mini-boom is Evergreen, which, in the last month, has introduced no less than four new services covering the intra-Asia and Indian sub-continent regions.

Back at the beginning of April, Evergreen launched a new dedicated Taiwan/Shekou/Malacca Strait service known as the TSS, followed shortly afterwards by a back-up service known as the Taiwan/Hong Kong (THK) service.

The TSS deploys 3 x 1,600 teu vessels, and covers Hong Kong, Shekou, Port Kelang, Penang, Port Kelang, Singapore, Tanjung Pelepas and Kaohsiung

Additional plus points coming from this service, and other regional trade connections, is the all important mainhaul east/west trade links offered by the direct calls at Kaohsiung, Singapore, Hong Kong and Tanjung Pelepas.

On to the Indian sub-continent, and Evergreen will boost coverage of the Asia/India sub-continent trade through a new slot exchange deal with Simatech on the INDFEX 1 service from late April.

Evergreen will join the INDFEX1 service through the slot deal which is only between Evergreen and Simatech, one the vessel deployers on the service, which also includes Wan Hai, K Line, SCI and Pacific International Lines as vessel providers.

Evergreen will market the service as its IFX2 service; the port rotation will be Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Nhava Sheva, Colombo, Port Kelang, Singapore and Shanghai.

Deployment will comprise 6 x 4,200/4,500 teu vessels, and the first sailing for Evergreen is scheduled for April 27 from Ningbo.

Evergreen and Simatech are also teaming up to launch a new India/Gulf service from early May, deploying 4 x 2,000 teu vessels. This new service, to be known as the Chennai/Colombo/Gulf (CCG) service, will offer coverage of Colombo, Vizagnapatnam, Krishnapatnam, Chennai, Colombo, Cochin, Jebel Ali, Sohar, Cochin and back to Colombo. Evergreen will deploy one vessel, Simatech the remaining three; the first sailing will be from Colombo on May 9.

Elsewhere, NYK/K Line are to expand their Japan coverage on the jointly-operated Japan/Straits/Indonesia/Vietnam service with an additional call at Yokkaichi from late April. The two lines deploy 4 x 4,100/4,500 teu vessels on the service, which from late April will offer direct coverage of Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokkaichi, Nagoya, Kobe, Singapore, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh and Tokyo. The first Yokkaichi call is scheduled for April 27.

Yangming is also on the regional trade expansion path, and just launched a new China/Middle East service from early April known as the CG2 service. The CG2 will offer direct port coverage of Pusan, Qingdao, Ningbo, Kaohsiung Shekou, Singapore, Jebel Ali, Penang, Singapore, Kaohsiung and Pusan. Deployment will comprise 6 x 5,500 teu vessels. The first sailing westbound from Pusan was made on April 5 by the 5,551 teu YM Cypress switched from the defunct Asia/Black Sea (ABX) service.

By Paul Richardson

Sea Freight Correspondent | London