APL has unveiled its Aloha Express (AEX) service, a new fortnightly service directly connecting Central China, Korea, Japan to Hawaii. The AEX service promises cargo delivery from Shanghai, Busan and Yokohama to Honolulu in 19, 15 and 12 days respectively.
“The AEX service introduces a new sea route in our portfolio to directly serve Asia and Hawaii. Instead of routing via the U.S. mainland, shippers with Hawaiian-bound cargo will find a faster shipping alternative in the AEX service,” said Jesper Stenbak, APL Senior Vice President of Trans-Pacific Trade. “To optimally coincide with market activities in the U.S. state, shipments on board the AEX service are scheduled for Sunday arrival in Hawaii for early week cargo availability.”
The 990 TEU APL-operated vessel the APL Aloha will be fully dedicated the AEX service, in addition to two other APL-operated vessels deployed to offer a full array of solutions and equipment including 45-feet containers.
APL will serve the market with a fully owned and staffed office in Honolulu.
The AEX service will commence sailing from Shanghai on July 25, 2017 and arrive in Honolulu on August 13, 2017.
Jesper elaborated, “The AEX service further diversifies APL’s extensive market coverage in the Trans-Pacific trade. Currently, APL sees 14 services making 104 calls at 35 ports between the key markets across Asia and North America West Coast; as well as 8 services making 79 calls at 36 ports between Asia and North America East Coast each week.”
Including the AEX service, APL will be offering a total of 23 services in the Trans-Pacific trade. Of these, APL offers 18 services as part of the OCEAN ALLIANCE and 5 services outside the alliance. Also serving two of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. commonwealth in the western Pacific Ocean, APL offers the Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service that calls the ports of Busan, Yokohama, Guam and Saipan every week.