SINGAPOREAN shipping company Pacific International Lines (PIL) has launched a direct service from China to Chittagong port.

The first vessel, under the new service named China Chittagong Express (CCE), arrived at its destination in Bangladsh on September 16, only eight days after it left the Chinese port of Shekou in Shenzhen.

The vessel came with 935 TEU, mainly carrying raw materials for Bangladesh's export-oriented garment industry. Importers are very happy to get raw materials within a short period of time compared to the regular service spanning 20 days which touches regional hub ports in Singapore and Malaysia before reaching Bangladesh.

The new service will deploy a consortium of vessels operated by three companies, PIL, Interasia Lines and SL Shipping & Logistics Pte.

Starting with three vessels to run weekly service in the China-Chittagong route, the consortium plans to add one more vessel in the route when demand rises further, according to Greece's Container News.

The ships under the service begin journey from Chinese port of Ningbo then goes to Shanghai to collect more cargoes and finally reaches Shekou port in South China before sailing towards Chittagong port.

From Chittagong port they will directly go to Ningbo port again avoiding the transshipment ports.

The other Chinese shipping services running in this route usually touches the transshipment ports like Singapore and ports in Malaysia before the reach their base stations.

According to shipping sector officials, a total of six major shipping lines operate ten vessels every week in the China-Chittagong route and are competing each other to capture business.

PIL first introduced a China-Chittagong service back in 2011 but later suspended the service due to various reasons. Now the operator has again started the shipping service amid the rise of demand.

https://www.shippingazette.com/news?news_id=9240900000560