Hapag-Lloyd > Press & Media > Press Archive 2004 > Norasia and Hapag-Lloyd starting new service



Norasia and Hapag-Lloyd starting new service

29.10.04

Fast link with Asia
Norasia and Hapag-Lloyd are starting a service between the Eastern Mediterranean and East Asia in late November 2004, the round trip taking a mere 49 days.
"The Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea have great medium- to long-term potential for trade with East Asia. The new service enables us to integrate this region more effectively and offer customers fast and reliable connections," explains Adolf Adrion, executive board member of Hapag-Lloyd AG. The joint service will be started with Norasia Line, a subsidiary of the shipping line CSAV, based in Chile.

The new service is to call at the ports Shanghai, Ningbo (both in China), Keelung (Taiwan), Chiwan (China), Singapore, Port Klang (Malaysia), Damietta (Egypt), Constanta (Romania), Istanbul (Turkey), Damietta, Colombo (Sri Lanka), Port Klang and Shanghai again.

A total of seven ships, each capable of carrying approx. 2,700 to 3,000 standard containers (TEU), will be deployed for the service, due to start on November 26th 2004. Five vessels will be provided by Norasia. The round trip will take 49 days, vessels will have a speed of 21 knots.

Hapag-Lloyd has its own offices in Asia and cooperates with agents in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. It is represented in Romania by Hub Dacia, in Egypt by Medlevant Shipping and – with effect of Jan. 1st – in Turkey by the joint venture Hapag-Lloyd Overseas Transport Co.

This year, approx. 570,000 standard containers will be transported in the direction of the Eastern Mediterranean (excluding the Black Sea) from the Far East. Growth rates of over nine percent are forecast for 2005 and 2006. China and Japan are the main supplier countries. Volume in the opposite direction will be approx. 100,000 TEU in 2004. Major producers for companies in Asia are based mainly in Turkey and Romania. Growth of three percent is expected in the next few years.



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