To proactively combat economic challenges facing the Australasia region, we have taken the initiative to strengthen our popular Asia to East Coast Australia liner service, with a space sharing agreement with Swire Shipping that will ensure customers continue to enjoy optimum service, capacity and efficiency on what is a key shipping trade for the local economy. With 20 years in the Asia-Pacific trade and a loyal and growing customer base, award-winning AAL will continue to manage our Asia to East Coast Australia liner service from Brisbane with complete autonomy whilst, at the same time, sharing vessel capacity. This development will offer sustainability in the current economic climate and allow AAL to remain highly competitive – without compromising customer service quality.
The space sharing is scheduled to start on the 14th December 2015 and will enhance AAL’s regular Asia to East Coast Australia liner service in a number of ways:
• A more comprehensive schedule will enable regular service to an increased number of convenient base ports (13 in total), connecting China (Tianjin, Qingdao and Shanghai), South Korea (Incheon and Pusan), Taiwan (Kaohsiung) and Vietnam (Phu My) with Australia’s East & Southern Coast (Brisbane, Newcastle, Geelong, Melbourne, Bell Bay and Gladstone). Additional ports including Dalian, Kobe, Townsville, Mackay and Portland are available on inducement.
• Shortened voyages and focused port selection, will improve transit times on individual voyages.
• In line with customer requirements, sailing frequency is set to improve significantly from a number of key ports (Shanghai, Pusan and Kaohsiung) – from 30 days, to 20 days.
• AAL will continue to deploy two of our market-leading A-Class multipurpose heavy lift vessels on the route (31,000 dwt and each with a 700 mt combined lifting capacity). These vessels are lauded for their unrivalled flexibility – able to efficiently load and accommodate extremely heavy and outsized project cargo, alongside breakbulk, containers and bulk.
• Space can also be booked directly through AAL on two vessels being deployed on the route by Swire Shipping – similar in size, but with lighter gear – giving AAL’s customers increased choice and the same focused and competitive customer service standards they have come to expect.
Christophe Grammare, Managing Director of AAL’s Liner Services Division explained, ‘This, our 20th anniversary year, has been significant for the strategic growth of AAL, with expansion of our operations taking place across the world. Here in the Asia-Pacific, we are reinforcing a well established trade and demonstrating our commitment to local customers and the wider Australian breakbulk, project and heavy lift market – notwithstanding clear economic challenges in the region.’
He added, ‘Our long-standing Brisbane team will continue to manage and oversee our Asia-Pacific liner operations, with complete autonomy to offer the most compelling and competitive solutions to AAL customers. Furthermore, we will continue to build our service quality, sailings frequency and reliability and deploy the finest fleet in the market.’
