[ OOCL Takes Delivery of a New Container Vessel ]

Orient Overseas Container Line(OOCL) recently christened the OOCL Neth
erlands at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan
. The vessel is the last of a series of eight 5,000TEU S-class contai
ner vessels ordered by OOCL. With all these new vessels delivered, OO
CL’s fleet is one of the most modern in the world.
The vessel was christened by Mrs Merle Aiko Okawara, President of JC F
oods Ltd. “ I name you OOCL Nethelands. As a vital link of world tra
de bringing peace and understanding to all destinations, may you and y
our capatain and crew sail safely across the oceans. And may you prom
te good-will and harmony on all your journeys,”proclaims Mrs Okawara.
Speaking at the christening ceremony, Mr Harry Wilkinson, Chief Financ
ial Officer of Orient Overseas(International) Ltd, parent company of O
OCL, said. “OOCL Netherlands will be deployed in our Asia Europe Serv
ice which will further enhance our services. As a customer driven comp
any, we always strive to meeting our customer’s needs for the present
and the future.”
With the addition of these new vessels, OOCL, a company known for its
extensive network of services especially in China, coupled with its ne
twork of information technology, will provide faster, more reliable an
d more frequent services to customers.
Based in Hong Kong, OOCL is a global container transportation company
operating from more than 140 offices in over 45 countries. It provides
an extensive intermodal network linking Asia, Eruope, North America a
nd Australia/New Zealand.

Major Carrierss Form Super Partership

HapagLloyd, Malaysia International Shipping Corporation, NYK Line, OOC
L and P&O Nedlloyd are pleased to announce that they have agreed to fo
rm a major new alliance to serve the main East/West markets.
This new alliance will be the larger such strategic grouping in the w
orld, employing over 100 deep-sea container ships. It will offer the w
idest choice to customers in the Asia/Europe service; a comprehensive
and competitive service in the Asia/North America trade; a strong focu
s on quality; a combination of the worldwide fleets of the partners to
ensure the most effective asset utilization; improved efficiency thro
ugh close cooperation within equipment interchange and inland operatio
ns.
In a joint statement the members of the new alliance said; “We are gl
ad to announce this long term co-operation between major international
lines. Together we will have a balancee fleet deployment in the major
trades in world container shipping.
This will create an exceptionally strong product to meet our customers
’ needs both for the present and the future, as well as generate furt
her efficiencies. The new consortium will also bring new opportunities
and value to all the member carriers and customers.”
The Asia/Europe service will comprise six loops, each employing 8 vess
els and ensuring uniquely fast and direct port to port connections. Th
ere will be five weekly sailings to North Europe and one weekly direct
sailing to the Mediterranean. The key elements of the Europe/Asia loo
ps include a fast direct service to Japan, two Korea and Taiwan calls,
five ports served in China and direct services to/from the Mediterran
ean, Red Sea/Gulf and Colombo.
The Asia-North American service will comprise seven loops-one via Suez
and one via Panama, and five West Coast services. These provide compr
ehensive and competitive servies between all the main Asia markets to
and from both West and East Coasts to the USA.
It is expected that these new services, after an orderly transition, w
ill start within the first quarter of 1998.