|
Los
Angeles, Dec. 2, 2002 – Connecting several promising markets with a single
new route, APL, the global container operator, has launched a weekly container
transportation feeder service to support the fast-growing trade between Asia and
Central America. Equally importantly, the new service will link Central American
markets with the West Coast of the United States.
The Mexico-Central America Express (MCX) service, which sails up and down the
coasts of California, Mexico and the northern zone of Central America, and connects
at Los Angeles with several of APL's trans-Pacific services, begins this week
(Dec. 2)
"One of the advantages of this north-south service is the global connectivity
it provides for exporters and importers in various geographical regions and industries,"
said Manny Fernandez, APL's president for Latin America.
"For example, it will not only relay the Asian textiles and piece goods to feed
the Central American garment factories, but it will also bring those same finished
articles of clothing into U.S. West Coast markets."
Perishables also a big mover
The new service, which uses two modern containerships operated by APL, will run
weekly between the Port of Los Angeles and Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala. En route,
it will make a southbound call at the Mexican port of Manzanillo, where it can
pick up additional Asian-origin freight, and a northbound call at Mexico's Salina
Cruz.
APL becomes the only major container operator calling at Salina Cruz, providing
a faster transit for exports to Asia of Mexican products, than alternative services
can provide.
The new service will expand APL's role in meeting Central America's growing demand
for consumer products from Asia, in addition to the textiles and piece goods.
In the reverse direction, APL will carry food, coffee, and other commodities from
Central America to Asia.
The northbound trade will consist of Central American refrigerated foodstuffs
and other products for the U.S. market, in addition to the finished apparel.
Fernandez emphasized that all shipments, even those moving to or from remote Central
American markets, can be easily tracked in real-time by email or via APL's award-winning
website at www.apl.com. Also, the company maintains sales and customer-service
personnel throughout the region through an existing network of offices and agencies.
Broad Central American Coverage
From the Guatemalan port of Puerto Quetzal, APL will have the capability of distributing
goods throughout the northern zone of Central America, added Pedro Nevarez, APL's
managing director for Central America and the Caribbean.
Specifically, he said the company will provide intermodal service to or from Guatemala
City, Guatemala; San Salvador, El Salvador; Tegucigalpa or San Pedro Sula, Honduras;
and Managua, Nicaragua.
The vessels serving the new route are named the APL Guadalajara and the APL Quetzal,
and each has an effective capacity of 400 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
APL provides customers around the world with container transportation services
through a network combining high-quality intermodal operations with state-of-the-art
information technology. Its sister company, APL Logistics, provides intercontinental,
end-to-end supply-chain management services. Both are units of Singapore-based
Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), a global logistics and transportation company engaged
in shipping and related businesses.
For more information
Manny
Fernandez Miami tel. +1 305 468.3050 or manny_fernandez@apl.com
Jerry Drelling tel:
APL Americas (510).272.8208 or jerry_a_drelling@apl.com
Paul Barrett APL Asia/MEast tel: (65) 6371.5022 or paul.barrett@nol.com.sg
Michael Haig APL Europe tel: +44 1737 248300 or info@isiscomms.com
|
