Swire Projects, the projects and heavy lift shipping services division of Swire Shipping, has launched a semi-liner service connecting East Asia with the West Coast of North America.
Previously offered on an ad hoc basis, the service will provide enhanced connectivity between the two regions and support the growing demand for breakbulk and project cargo transportation into the West Coast. It will also provide a gateway to the interior of the continent, avoiding the need to route cargo via the Panama Canal.
The service will connect the base ports of Qingdao and Taicang in China, as well as ports en route, with Everett (Washington) and Vancouver (British Columbia). Inducement calls are also offered at various ports in Southeast Asia, the US West Coast and Mexico.
It will utilise Swire Projects’ H-class 28,500 dwt multipurpose vessels, supplemented by the company’s I-type 19,000 dwt units. Both ship types are open-hatched tweendeckers with a lifting capacity between 160-480 tonnes. To ensure the safe and efficient transportation of more complex cargoes, the service is supported by a dedicated transport engineering team with many years of experience working with complex and delicate cargoes.
The service will be led by Rufus Frere-Smith, regional head of Americas based out of Swire Projects’ Vancouver office, with support from offices in Shanghai, Singapore, Houston and Hamburg. Frere-Smith said: “We have existing infrastructure in the region and strong local relationships with key terminals and service providers. 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.”
