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Rickmers-Linie is launching a westbound round-the-world service for breakbulk, heavylift and project cargoes.
"Having introduced our round-the-world Pearl String service with an eastbound rotation 10 years ago, we are convinced that the time to start up a similar concept in the other direction has now come," said Ulrich Ulrichs, chief operating officer and managing director of Rickmers-Linie, in a statement. "This move further confirms our commitment to, and trust in, the Asian and South American markets.”
The company said the service will connect areas of economic growth in Asia and South America and continue on to North America. An America-Asia westbound service established in 2006 now forms part of the new service.
Two or three chartered multipurpose heavy lift vessels will start off the service. The first vessel, Huanghai Glory, was built in China in 2012 and has a lifting capacity of up to 160 tons and a deadweight of 28,300 tons. The second vessel is expected to enter service in May, with the arrival of the third ship to be announced at a later stage. Rickmers-Linie plans to run the service on a monthly schedule in the future.
Ports which will receive calls on this service will include Yokohama, Masan, Xingang, Shanghai, Singapore, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria, Philadelphia, Savannah and Houston. On its first voyage in the new Rickmers-Linie service, Huanghai Glory is scheduled to call at Bayuquan, Xingang, Dalian, Shanghai, Kaohsiung, Punta Quilla, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria and Suape.
American Shipper
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