P&ON adds a vessel to Asia, South America service

P&O NEDLLOYD will upgrade its Asia - South Africa - South America service to an 11 vessel service on a weekly frequency with the introduction of the Nedlloyd Hoorn which arrives in Port Elizabeth on January 11, 2002. She returns for her export voyage to Cape Town and Durban in early February 2002. "The intention of introducing an 11th vessel is to further improve the reliability of the service by ensuring berthing windows are met fully at all ports," says marketing manager Iain McIntosh. McIntosh acknowledges that schedule disruption primarily in South African ports has been a major factor in this decision, but believes general anticipated improvements in productivity in both South African and South American ports may well allow for the introduction of additional key ports in the short term future. "In the short term the schedule will undergo some minor changes as we create the opening slot for the new vessel but this will not disrupt the overall service."