There is a huge interest in servicing the Asia Pacific region.

This was after five Asia-based container lines have confirmed to expand its services in mid-February, next year that connects to Australia. This was after another China-based line had announced beefing up its service to and from Oceania.

The expanded service, which will start on February 14, is branded FOX, or Far East Asia Oceania Express, by the newly joined South Korean company Hanjin Shipping.

However, the route is actually an existing service of Japan’s Mitsui O.S.K. Lines that is named AU2 Service.

Other members of the expanded service consist of Japan’s ‘K’ Line, Hong Kong-headquartered OOCL, and China’s Cosco.

As rates on the trade have begun to stabilise and demand has remained strong, carriers plying the trade are shortening vessel transit times through a rationalisation of services.

All the container carriers will contribute one vessel each, with the exception of Hanjin Shipping, which will supply two container ships.

The service will call Yokohama and Osaka, Japan; Busan, South Korea; Qingdao, Shanghai, and Ningbo, China; Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, Australia, before heading back to Yokohama.

Swire Shipping is also enhancing its shipping connectivity between Asia and the Oceania region, through its multipurpose liner service.

That service will begin January, next year linking China to the South Pacific including direct port calls to Suva and Lautoka.

The enhanced port rotation also includes direct calls to Qingdao, China, and Nuku’alofa, Tonga.

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