APL, a unit of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), and Pacific International Lines (PIL) is to launch a new joint service linking the Far East and Red Sea.

In a joint statement made by both carriers, APL and PIL said the Red Sea is an important market for exporters in Central and Southern China. By providing weekly sailings from major Asian ports, as well as competitive transit times from Asia to Red Sea ports via the trans-shipment hub in Singapore, both lines are confident that their customers would be well-served with these new connections.

The joint service will deploy eight post-panamax vessels of about 6000-TEU capacity of which three will be operated by APL and PIL five vessels. The port rotation of the new service will be as follows: Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Chiwan, Nansha, Singapore, Djibouti, Aden, Jeddah, Sukhna, Aqaba, Djibouti, Singapore, Nansha and Shanghai. The first vessel will begin its maiden voyage on June 21.

Singapore-based PIL is ranked 19th amongst the top containership operators in the world, owns and operates a fleet of about 143 vessels with a total capacity of about 287,687 TEU.