Shipping lines consolidate NZ services
FIVE shipping lines -- MISC, Mitsui OSK Lines, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Orient Overseas Container Line and Pacific International Lines -- will combine their current New Zealand express NZX1 and NZX2 services into the New Zealand–Southeast Asia service. The move is expected to take place in early June 2008 and is designed to offer better coverage of five ports in New Zealand and Brisbane in Australia. The service will be operated by five 2,800 teu boxships, with two coming from PIL and one each from MOL, NYK and OOCL. MISC will also participate through a slot charter arrangement. The new rotation includes fixed day weekly port calls at Singapore, Port Kelang, Brisbane, Auckland, Lyttelton, Wellington, Napier and Tauranga.