Swire Projects, the projects and heavy lift shipping arm of Swire Shipping, has officially launched a dedicated semi liner service connecting East Asia with the West Coast of North America.
The company said the service will provide enhanced cargo connectivity and support the growing demand for reliable breakbulk and project cargo transportation into the West Coast and a gateway to the interior of the Continent avoiding the need to route cargo via the Panama Canal.
Swire Projects’ semi liner service connects the base ports of Qingdao and Taicang in China and ports en route, with Everett, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. The service will also offer inducement calls at various ports in Southeast Asia, the US West Coast and Mexico.
“The strategic selection of these ports will enable Swire Projects to efficiently connect key trading hubs and offer convenient access to clients,” noted the company.
“We have existing infrastructure in the region and strong local relationships with key terminals and service providers”, stated Rufus Frere-Smith, regional head of Americas at Swire Projects. “We feel that there is room in the market for a quality oriented, project carrier that can provide regular sailings to the market. Project cargo into the West Coast is frequently carried by conventional bulk carrier operators because there is a lack of other regular options, but Swire Projects can provide a different level of service with its in-house engineering, local port captains, knowledgeable operations staff and superior cargo care.”
Τhe transpacific semi liner service will utilise Swire Projects’ H Class 28,500 deadweight MPP vessels, supplemented by our I Type, 19,000 dwt MPP’s. Both ship types are open hatched, tweendeckers with a lifting capacity of between 160 – 480 MT; the versatility of these vessels enables Swire Projects to accommodate a wide range of cargoes, including project cargo, breakbulk, IMDG, steel, forest products and dry bulk.
