Panalpina launches two new ocean freight services

SWISS-based Panalpina now offers two new less-than-container load (LCL) ocean freight services linking China and Poland as well as Belgium and the US by deploying its own NVOCC (non vessel operating common carrier) Pantainer Express Line.

"Contrary to the overall market development, the demand for additional in-network LCL ocean freight services continued to grow throughout 2009 as the customer focus on safe solutions from door-to-door provided and controlled by one party remained high", said Peter Herling, Panalpina's global head of product and procurement ocean LCL.

"As changes in order frequency and size in many cases no longer justified an FCL (full container load) shipment, it became more important to the customers that their goods now shipped as LCL shipments were handled by the least number of parties, being it trucking companies, warehouse operators, handling agents, or shipping lines," said Mr Herling.

The new weekly Antwerp to Houston service complements the existing ocean freight LCL service portfolio from Continental Europe to the Gulf of Mexico. It provides weekly guaranteed sailings based on Panalpina's long-time partner NYK Line. Shipments from Benelux, France and Switzerland are consolidated in Panalpina's strategic LCL Ocean Hub in Antwerp serving Houston, Dallas, El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, New Orleans and Tulsa in the Southern US. Port to port transit is 18 days.

"This service is particularly important for customers from the oil and gas segment. In addition, it provides a valuable in-network connection for cross-border shipments into Mexico," said Ragnar Dalen, Panalpina's product and procurement ocean LCL chief for North America.

From Ningbo, China to Wroclaw, Poland, based on NYK Line, Panalpina has introduced its second newly guaranteed LCL service on the Far East westbound connecting Ningbo with Wroclaw with a transit of 26 days. With this new service from Ningbo, Panalpina strengthens its LCL ocean programme connecting Central China with Poland, which includes an already existing direct LCL service from Shanghai to Wroclaw.

(Source: www.schednet.com)