SINGAPORE's APL, now a unit of French shipping giant CMA CGM, deploys US president-named vessels for the new Eagle Express 1, as it did since the 1920s when it was more widely known at American President Lines.
Starting July 20, the EX1 service's new rotation will be Qingdao, Shanghai, Busan, Los Angeles, Oakland, Yokohama, Naha, Busan and back to Qingdao.
Along with the EX1 service refinements that will speed up the North Asian lap from the US west coast, these containerships will be named the President FD Roosevelt, President Wilson, President Cleveland, President Truman, President Eisenhower and the President Kennedy.
In the 1920s, there were 90 APL ships named after US presidents. Today, five of the six vessels are new to the EX1 service. The first of them is undergoing reflagging process at Global Gateway South (GGS) Terminal in Los Angeles.
'Operating a fleet of US flagged vessels, crewed by American citizens, is historical business for APL and part of our roots. We pride ourselves in delivering mission-critical supplies, food and equipment to our troops overseas,' said APL vice president Eric Mensing.
The EX1 service will see the current transit from the US west coast to Naha and Yokohama cut by four and two days respectively.
With Yokohama serving as a relay hub for shipments to Guam and Saipan via its Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service, APL is adjusting the EX1 service to speed up shipments from the US mainland to the islands, especially Guam where 75 per cent of her inbound freight originate from the US.
In fact, shipments onboard the GSX service will reach Guam on Monday, the earliest cargo arrival of the week on the island as a result of the EX1 service refinements.
Starting July 20, the EX1 service's new rotation will be Qingdao, Shanghai, Busan, Los Angeles, Oakland, Yokohama, Naha, Busan and back to Qingdao.
Along with the EX1 service refinements that will speed up the North Asian lap from the US west coast, these containerships will be named the President FD Roosevelt, President Wilson, President Cleveland, President Truman, President Eisenhower and the President Kennedy.
In the 1920s, there were 90 APL ships named after US presidents. Today, five of the six vessels are new to the EX1 service. The first of them is undergoing reflagging process at Global Gateway South (GGS) Terminal in Los Angeles.
'Operating a fleet of US flagged vessels, crewed by American citizens, is historical business for APL and part of our roots. We pride ourselves in delivering mission-critical supplies, food and equipment to our troops overseas,' said APL vice president Eric Mensing.
The EX1 service will see the current transit from the US west coast to Naha and Yokohama cut by four and two days respectively.
With Yokohama serving as a relay hub for shipments to Guam and Saipan via its Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service, APL is adjusting the EX1 service to speed up shipments from the US mainland to the islands, especially Guam where 75 per cent of her inbound freight originate from the US.
In fact, shipments onboard the GSX service will reach Guam on Monday, the earliest cargo arrival of the week on the island as a result of the EX1 service refinements.