Pacific International Lines enters transpacific

Pacific International Lines enters transpacific

   Pacific International Lines, the expansion-minded Singapore-based carrier that moved into the Asia/Europe trade in 2003, has entered the transpacific trade by taking space on an existing Middle East/Indian subcontinent/Far East/Canada West Coast service that calls at the Canadian port of Fraser River, near Vancouver.

   Pacific International Lines started marketing the transpacific leg of the joint service in January. Its first vessel call at Fraser River was Tuesday. The carrier had taken space only between ports in Asia and the Middle East on this multitrade service, while CP Ships and Maersk Sealand used the service to move transpacific cargoes.

   Unusually, the transpacific new entrant’s service does not call at U.S. ports. It has an eastbound rotation of Dubai, Damman, Karachi, Mundra, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Pusan and Fraser River. Westbound, the vessels call at Fraser River, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Klang and Dubai.

   The ships call at Fraser Surrey Docks. Westwood Shipping is the Canadian agent of Pacific International Lines.

   Founded in 1967, the carrier employs more than 2,100 and provides container services in the intra-Asian trades and from the Far East to Europe, the Middle East, Red Sea, Africa, the India subcontinent, Australia and New Zealand. It is also a member of the Box Club of senior executives of major international container shipping lines.

   Transit times and details of the transpacific service are posted on ComPair Data, the global liner-shipping database at http://www.compairdata.com.