DHL launches new direct LCL service from Shanghai to Keelung
DHL has enhanced its cross-strait connectivity with a new direct LCL weekly service from Shanghai in China to Keelung in Taiwan. Operated by DHL Global Forwarding’s in-house carrier, Danmar Lines, the new service will cut transit time to four days, since shipments will no longer be routed via Hong Kong. Throughput in the Port of Shanghai reached 590 million tons in 2009, making it the largest in the world for five consecutive years. With container traffic reaching 25 million TEU, the Port of Shanghai was ranked the second largest in the world last year. Situated at the northeast of Taiwan, Keelung is the second largest port on the island, with high-value shipments as its main import and export cargo. In 2008, 8,053 vessels carrying almost 91.3 million tons of cargo, including more than two million TEU of containerised cargo, called at the Port of Keelung. According to Kelvin Leung, CEO for North Asia Pacific at DHL Global Forwarding, since cross-strait traffic between Mainland China and Taiwan began in December 2008, direct air and shipping services have significantly facilitated trade between both sides. In the first four months of this year, Shanghai’s total import and export volume with Taiwan reached US$10.13 billion, representing a 77.3% year-on-year increase, making Shanghai – Taiwan the third fastest growing trade lane after Shanghai – ASEAN and Shanghai – Korea. "This is the first cross-strait direct LCL service for DHL Global Forwarding and it is part of DHL’s ongoing plans to expand our own-operated weekly guaranteed LCL services in China," said Steve Huang, CEO for China at DHL Global Forwarding. "With Shanghai as the gateway, this new service will benefit customers with cross-strait businesses, especially the SMEs in the Yangtze Delta including Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi." Quelle: eyefortransport |