According to MANA, to enhance its intra-Asia network, OOCL is introducing the Indonesia Thailand Straits Service and Vietnam Johor Straits Service.
Effective from May 3, the Indonesia Thailand Straits Service is a direct service between Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. The port rotation is Port Klang in Malaysia, Singapore, Semarang and Surabaya in Indonesia, Bangkok and Laem Chabang in Thailand and back to Port Klang.
The Vietnam Johor Straits Service, meanwhile, is effective from June 11 and provides direct services between north Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia. The port rotation will be Port Klang, Singapore, Pasir Gudang in Malaysia, Haiphong in Vietnam, Pasir Gudang, Singapore and back to Port Klang.
A growing number of shipping lines have introduced new intra-Asia services this year.
Analysts expect intra-Asia trade growth to continue to grow and even match the main trade lanes in the future in terms of volumes. First-quarter trade lane figures show container trade within Asia rose by 23.5% year on year to 10.8m teu, following almost no growth in 2016, with Chinese trade to and from Southeast Asia showing the largest rise, of 36% to 3.4m teu.