JAPAN
The three major Japanese shipping lines, Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (“K†Line), Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) have agreed to establish a new company by integrating their container line and terminal businesses.
The joint venture will be established on 1st July 2017 and the new scheduled services will be fully operational and integrated into one entity by 1st April 2018. The new company is intended to provide an enhanced network plus better service quality to customers through enlargement of business scale and improving operational efficiency. The three shareholders will jointly contribute approx. 300 Billion JPY, including fleets and terminals. With approx. 1.4 Million TEU, the newly-formed giant will rank 6th in the market with approximately 7% of global share.
CHINA
Great Southern Shipping, an Australian company, has launched a new shipping service ex China that will operate a fleet of 5 x 35,000 tonne (DWT) fully cellular and geared container vessels, proposed to expand to an optimum fleet of 10 ships. Each vessel has a nominal capacity of 3500 Twenty Foot Equivalent Units (TEU), and a homogeneous capacity of circa 2850 TEU. They will offer a twice-weekly service between main ports in China and Australia, sailing in a triangulated voyage pattern. Commencing at the major Chinese port of Rizhao, southbound voyages will call at the Australian ports of Brisbane, Sydney, Bell Bay, Melbourne and Fremantle, then return northbound to Yantian, Shanghai then Rizhao.
GSS is investing in the design and construction of an initial 20,000 “2 Pallet Wideâ€, High Cube and Sea Cell Compliant 20’ and 40’ containers, designed specifically to meet the needs of Australian manufacturers, producers and exporters. This purpose built equipment will enable shippers to pack two Australian CHEP or LOSCAM pallets side by side in each container.
