APL has added a call at the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr to its Gulf Asia Express 2 service.

According to APL, the GA2 service will also make a second call at Jebel Ali during the return leg of its rotation to Asia.

Asian shippers will gain direct access to Umm Qasr in Iraq, currently only accessible through feeder services via Jebel Ali.

The enhanced GA2 service will have a port rotation of: Shanghai – Ningbo – Taipei – Shekou – Tanjung Pelepas – Port Klang – Jebel Ali – Umm Qasr – Jebel Ali – Port Klang – Hong Kong – Shanghai.

Transit time to Umm Qasr will be 24 days from Shanghai and 20 days from Shekou.

The first sailing will depart from Shanghai on August 6, 2018, according to APL.