Shippers get Asia link ANL cuts times for exporters
TRADE with Asia is expected to grow with container shipping line ANL adding services into Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia from Townsville.
ANL has launched direct services to Port Kelang, Singapore and Jakarta this week, providing some of the fastest transit times available from Australia.
Port of Townsville general manager business development Claudia Brumme- Smith said the expansion of services was great news for North Queensland importers and exporters and came just three months after ANL re- entered the Townsville market.
“In April this year we were delighted to welcome ANL back to our port as they commenced a new container service between Townsville and Papua New Guinea, one of our major trading countries,” Ms Brumme- Smith said.
“The announcement of further service enhancements between Townsville and Ma- laysia, Singapore and Jakarta demonstrates ANL’s confidence in the North Queensland market.”
Ms Brumme- Smith said Singapore provided excellent access for Australian premium food products, which would now be available to growers from Townsville. She said produce such as man- goes, avocados and melons, already being shipped from southern ports, could instead be sent from Townsville.
“Producers will be able to export their produce directly to both Malaysia and Singapore with super- fast transit times of 10 days to Port Kelang, 12 days to Singapore and 14 days to Jakarta with a ser- vice that operates days,” she said.
ANL general manager business development Chris Schultz said the shipping line’s return to Townsville was going extremely well.
“Our service is run with multipurpose vessels and therefore caters for containerised exports and imports as every well as project cargoes,” Mr Schultz said.
ANL container services typically carry freight such as solar farm equipment, household items and retail goods.
ANL is part of the French CMA CGM Group, the third largest container shipping line in the world.
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