Hong Kong: Hainan PO Shipping (HPOS) is to pull out of the transpacific trades at the end of this month, a little over two years from its entrance into the American sector.
The state-run line started its China-America West Coast Express (CAE) service using five ships of 2,700 to 3,500 teu in August 2010, with TS Lines joining the service three months later. The pair pulled the service in December last year, with Hainan PO Shipping opting to take slots on China Shipping’s America-Asia Container (AAC) service, with a weekly round-trip allocation of 800 teu. In addition, the line took 300 slots on a Cosco weekly transpacific service earlier this year for three months.
"HPOS also offered several ad-hoc transpacific sailings this year in an unsuccessful attempt to revive its own service and maintain its status as a VOCC. The last HPOS transpacific sailing with its own ship occurred in July," reports Alphaliner. "With the slot agreement with CSCL due to expire on December 5, HPOS will not be able to maintain transpacific tariffs filed with the FMC from November 29, and is therefore expected to discontinue its services to the US from that date." [07/11/12]
