The first ship in its China Pacific Express service, branded SM Long Beach, is scheduled to depart from Ningbo on April 16 and arrive in Long Beach on April 30. The port rotation is: Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan, Long Beach, Busan and Ningbo.
A company spokesman told American Shipper that five 6,500 TEU ships will be deployed on the service. He said the company is initially targeting non-vessel-operating common carriers, as well as some mid-size beneficial cargo owners as customers for its transpacific service.
The first ships in the company's Vietnam Thailand service and Korea Haiphong Express service departed from Kwangyang and Incheon, respectively, on March 9.
The Vietnam Thailand service is operated by three ships on a port rotation of: Kwangyang, Busan, Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Laem Chabang, Ho Chi Minh City, Yantian and Kwangyang.
The Korea Haiphong Express service deploys two ships on a port rotation of: Incheon, Kwangyang, Busan, Hong Kong, Haiphong, Xiamen and Incheon.
The first ship in SM Line's West India service will depart from Shanghai on March 19. The service will use six ships and have a rotation of: Shanghai, Ningbo, Shekou, Singapore, Port Kelang, Nhava Sheva, Pipvav, Colombo, Port Kelang, Singapore, Vung Tau, Hong Kong and Shanghai.