The American-owned Non-Vessel-Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) and provider of global 3PL services, UWL has contracted with Swire Shipping, a multi-purpose liner service, to launch a new express service from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Seattle in the United States.
The duration of the bi-weekly service will be 18 days and will be the fastest trip from Vietnam to the US, according to the two partners.
“Customers have been asking for creative solutions during this extremely challenging market, and this first-of-its-kind service is part of our response. Congestion and rate spikes will come and go, but the root issues remain. US importers are pushing for more creativity and controlled reliable solutions to manage supply chain risk,” stated UWL president Duncan Wright.
UWL said the service offers priority berthing at both origin and destination, and a dedicated equipment pool for suppliers in Ho Chi Minh City, which includes 6,000 brand-new containers, with 40-foot-high cube and 20-foot containers already in the rotation.
“Predictability is assured, as schedules are published six months in advance, with two sailings per month,” noted UWL.
Upon arrival in Seattle, the boxes needing warehousing or distribution space can take advantage of UWL’s sister company, World Distribution Services (WDS), and its brand-new facility near Tacoma, Washington State, just a short drive away from the Port of Seattle, according to a statement.
“We are confident that our ocean express solution will be compelling to importers and exporters who need a direct port-to-port, fast, and reliable service between Vietnam and the Pacific Northwest,” said Rufus Frere-Smith, regional head in Americas of Swire Shipping.
Frere-Smith added, “We have deployed new state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient vessels that will sail at high speed, safely and sustainably. We are confident customers and BCOs will find this direct, express service to be extremely effective in shipping their high value products and getting to market quickly.”
This agreement is the first dedicated ocean service by an NVOCC in the trade.
