HONG KONG, JUNE 20, 2011: APL, the world’s seventh largest container shipping carrier, won  the Liner Owner/Operator and Environment Protection Awards at the fourth Seatrade Asia Awards here last Friday evening. An international panel of maritime judges honored APL from a field that included Maersk Line and OOCL.

“Winning these awards reflects our commitment to our customers and to sustainable global trade,” said Alvin See, Vice President for APL in Hong Kong and South China.

The Liner Owner/Operator Award was given to the shipping line in Asia judged best in class in schedule reliability and network development, as well as innovation in customer service. The Environment Protection Award went to the organisation which had taken significant steps to reduce its environmental footprint, invest in green technology and promote environmental awareness.

The environmental award follows two milestones in the past two months that will reduce emissions from APL ships. In May, APL became  the first and only carrier to cold-iron ships at the Port of Oakland, thereby eliminating vessel exhaust at berth. In April, it became the first carrier to switch vessels to cleaner-burning low-sulphur fuel at the Port of Singapore.

APL was also a finalist in the Technical Innovation category of the Seatrade Asia Awards.