Singapore-based shipping company Swire Shipping has made changes to its North Asia service by calling Japanese ports prior to South Korea (Busan) effective from the next scheduled departure of MV Shansi.
Other ports prior to Japan and after South Korea will remain unchanged and once the change has been implemented, regular voyage frequency and port coverage will resume.
Vessels will now sail directly from Shanghai to Yokohama, followed by Osaka and then to Busan, noting that Yokohama is currently being called on every second voyage.
Swire says that by placing the port of Busan as last port in Asia, it will improve transit times by up to six days for cargo heading towards the south.
As part of the integration of this change, the company says that it will be necessary to omit Osaka with MV Shantung due to shortened spacing created through these changes. One additional New Zealand port (Marsden Point) will also be added on every second voyage.