APL splits Middle East-Far East-US west coast pendulum into 2 loops

SINGAPORE's APL's Middle East-Far East-US West Coast (PS-1-CMX) pendulum service has been split into two services.

The Far East-US West Coast will be separately served with the PS-1, while the Far East-Middle East leg will be covered by the CMX service.

Alphaliner said this move will effectively switch back to the pattern that existed before December 2011 when the two loops were merged.

The new PS-1 loop will call at Shezhen-Chiwan, Shenzhen-Yantian, Hong Kong, Xiamen, Busan, Seattle, Vancouver, Yokohama, Kaohsiung, and back to Shenzhen-Chiwan.

The report said that in comparison the PS-1 in 2011 called direct at Laem Chabang and Singapore. The earlier loop deployed seven ships, whereas the new PS-1 loop will use six 5,500-TEU ships.

The new CMX will deploy six 4,400- to 6,300-TEU vessels for a total of 12 ships to operate both services, up from 10 ships previously.

The port rotation for the new CMX is Ningbo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Singapore, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Sohar, Singapore, Guangzhou-Nansha, Xiamen and back to Ningbo.