ANL will next month launch a brand new service connecting North Asia, Papua New Guinea and Queensland.
Dubbed APR 2, the fortnightly service will utilise 3 x 1,700 TEU vessels with the first sailing to be by San Giorgio from Qingdao on 12 September, to be followed by Ela on 26 September and Sevilla on 10 October.
APR 2’s full rotation is Qingdao, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Lae, Motukea (Port Moresby), Brisbane, Gladstone, Townsville, Qingdao and transhipment via the Westpac service will provide links to the Solomons (Honiara) and Vanuatu (Vila and Santo). Noumea will be served by transhipment over Brisbane to the ANZ Shuttle.
ANL says the new service will also provide greater PNG coverage, not least an express service to Brisbane for exporters, at 8 days ex Lae and 3 days ex Motukea.
Gladstone and Townsville exporters will have access to faster transits to North & East Asia, given direct links rather than SEA relay on the existing APR service.
APTR 2 is likely to prove a challenge to Swire Shipping’s NAX service, which rotates Shanghai, Ningbo, Nansha, Hong Kong, Lae, Motukea, Townsville, Shanghai, also fortnightly. With vessel-sharing partner Mariana Express Lines NAX deploys 3 x 2400-2750 TEU geared vessels.