Rolling Out the Most Comprehensive Middle East  Coverage

Oct 20, 2004 - In the last 10 years since China entered the World Trade Organization, the country has quickly risen to become the world's favorite trading partner. Just recently, yet another country announced that China had overtaken its rivals to become the top exporter to that nation. The country in question? United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Last year, China captured 11.3 per cent of the UAE's total imports of about US$43.8 billion, overtaking long-time giants such as Japan and the US. This is set to increase with the signing of the free trade agreement between China and the Gulf Co-operation Council countries.

To the East of China, the Seoul government is also encouraging local firms to tap into the Middle East market. Korean exports to the Middle East totaled US$8.6 billion in 2003, up 14.6 per cent from a year ago, accounting for 4.2 per cent of the country's total exports.

In response to these developments, APL is introducing a new weekly direct China-Middle East (CMX) (PDF File) service and reorganizing its existing Middle East services to meet the demand from customers for greater access to these important regions.

From mid October, the CMX, West Asia Express (WAX) (PDF File) and Red Sea Express (REX) (PDF File) services will cover all the major Chinese and Korean ports, including new calls at Xiamen and Kwangyang. This will not only provide shippers with more alternatives in North Asia but also allow them a more direct routing for exports into the Middle East.

For the first time, shippers will have a direct call from East Asia to Sharjah, a key hub for re-exports into the Middle East, as well as to Karachi, Pakistan via the CMX. The services also offer a gateway to the region through APL's extensive dedicated feeder network via Jebel Ali and Salalah, which offer considerable advantages including priority berthing, ensuring faster and more efficient cargo handling.

Backed by APL's global capabilities and strong presence in both regions, customers can rely on APL to provide them with a seamless connection to capitalize on the fast-growing trade between East Asia and the Middle East.