16-May-2005

The Port of Felixstowe has welcomed Norasia’s decision to launch a new Asia Middle East Express (AME) service, to commence from Shanghai, China on 18th May 2005. The service will make fixed weekly calls at Felixstowe, arriving on Saturday evenings.

The service’s first sailing will be by the 5,423-TEU Chillan, arriving in Felixstowe from Shanghai on 18th June 2005. From here, it will sail to Jeddah, arriving nine days later.

Norasia, part of the Compania Sud Americana de Vapores (CSAV) group, will deploy a total of three 5,423-TEU vessels on this service, supported by an additional two vessels at 4,000+ TEU’s capacity, and four at 3,750+ TEU’s capacity.

Commenting on the new service, Richard Pearson, Managing Director of Hutchison Ports (UK) Limited, said:

“We are extremely pleased that Norasia has chosen the Port of Felixstowe as its port of call in the UK. The new service further enhances the large network of international ports connected to Felixstowe, and extends our links to the fast-growing Asian markets. It is important that we continue to offer a wide range of carriers and services to UK importers and exporters.”

The port rotation of the new service will be:

Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Yantian, Port Klang, Le Havre, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Felixstowe, Jeddah, Jebel Ali, Port Klang, Yantian, Xingang, Qingdao, Shanghai.

Transit times will include nine days from Felixstowe to Jeddah and an impressive 21 days from Felixstowe to Port Klang. The estimated rotation of the service is 63 days.