New Asia – SA service to launch

ALAN PEAT THE CHILEAN line CSAV is launching a new Asia-SA service in an agreement with K-Line. According to a release to FTW from CSAV, the “Discovery” service will be weekly, and is due to start in June. “This service will provide a reliable schedule to SA and an improved service to customers,” said CSAV. The port rotation will be: Shanghai-Ningbo- Kaohsiung-Shekou-Hong Kong-Singapore-Port Klang-Colombo-Durban- Cape Town-Colombo-Port Klang-Singapore-Hong Kong–Shanghai. For CSAV customers this adds Cape Town calls in SA and additional direct calls in Taiwan, Shekou, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia. Meantime, the line’s “Asiatlantic Express (ASAX)” service will also sail a new port rotation – offering additional port coverage, faster transit times, and greater schedule reliability, said the line. The service is to be launched in early June, and will offer a port rotation of: Ningbo-Shanghai-Chiwan- Hong Kong-Singapore– Santos-Buenos Aires– Paranagua–Itajai–Santos– Durban–Singapore–Ningbo. With the Durban call on the northbound leg of the voyage, this will effectively give CSAV two weekly export calls at Durban bound for the east, and will add Chiwan to its South China coverage.