CHINA SHIPPING ADDS 5TH 5,500-TEU SHIP TO PACIFIC SERVICE

CHINA SHIPPING ADDS 5TH 5,500-TEU SHIP TO PACIFIC SERVICE

   China Shipping Container Line has phased in a fifth new post-Panamax containership, the 5,500-TEU “CSCL Seattle,” to its Asia America South service.

   The addition of the ship completes the upsizing of the weekly service to 5,500-TEU-size vessels. The other large new ships deployed by the Chinese carrier in the service are the “CSCL Shanghai,” “CSCL Hong Kong,” “CSCL Kobe” and “CSCL Los Angeles.”

   The new ship replaced a smaller vessel of about 2,400 TEUs previously employed in the service.

   The Asia America South service has a rotation of Los Angeles, Seattle, Vancouver, Yokohama, Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, Hakata, Busan, Los Angeles, Seattle and Vancouver.

   Zim Israel Navigation, Norasia and CMA CGM also take space on this transpacific service of China Shipping.

   In addition to the five 5,500-TEU ships now in operation, China Shipping has another eight ships of 5,500-TEU capacity on order that are due to be delivered next year and in 2003.

   Like other major carriers, China Shipping finds that it must continue to take delivery of large containerships despite the advent of substantial vessel over-capacity across the industry.