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APL Alexandrite makes first call at Vietnam’s Cai Mep deepwater port Ship’s arrival sets scene for historic first direct Vietnam-US shipping servicesHo Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 29 May 2009: The ship APL Alexandrite today became the first linehaul container vessel to call at the Saigon Port-PSA (SP-PSA) deepwater container terminal located on the Cai Mep river in Ba Ria Vung Tau Province in southern Vietnam. The 3,821 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) vessel was undertaking a trial voyage ahead of the beginning on 4 June of the industry’s first direct container shipping service linking Vietnam and the West Coast of North America. The APL Alexandrite’s historic arrival was witnessed by hundreds of well wishers at SP-PSA, which is Vietnam’s first operational deepwater container terminal serving southern Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh City. The 4,250 TEU vessel, APL Denver, which is deployed on APL’s Pacific South 1 service, is scheduled to depart the SP-PSA facility for Seattle on 4 June. APL and its parent company, Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), have had a long association with Vietnam. APL-NOL became the first Singapore-based transportation and logistics company to establish wholly owned operations in Vietnam on 1 January 2007. NOL is also the major investor in the Vietnam International Container Terminal (VICT), which became the country’s first purpose-built container handling facility when it commenced operations in 1998. To download images of the APL Alexandrite click on the links below: For more information on APL’s services go to: www.apl.com/services Media Inquiries: Asia Americas About APL |
