The new year has begun with new service announcements from two of the world’s leading finished vehicle forwarders.
Eukor Car Carriers has launched a new fixed weekly service from Europe to China, loading from ports at Wallhamn (Sweden), Bremerhaven (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium) and Southampton (UK), to Shanghai, Xingang and Huangpu (Tianjin and Guangzhou) in China.
Commenting on the new service, Eukor spokesman Espen Hofland told Automotive Logistics News: “The cargo for our new weekly service from Europe to China has a big diversity, ranging from cars from European manufacturers, to high & heavy vehicles, such as construction equipment, and the most extreme static cargo units, including cranes and windmills.”
Eukor will deploy some its largest vessels from the Morning L-class, which have a capacity of 8,000 cars and offer superior capabilities to carry high & heavy cargo as well as static cargo units.
Eukor and Wallhamn are currently involved in a long-term terminal agreement following Eukor’s sale last year of its 50% stake in the Wallhamn car terminal to Grimaldi Lines.
Meanwhile, Höegh Autoliners has announced it will add the US Port of Charleston to its Middle East service at the end of January for the transport of BMWs made at the carmaker’s plant in Greer, South Carolina.
The company will use the Höegh Bangkok, which was built in 2007 and can carry 7,800 car equivalent units, for the service.
The new service will feature at twice monthly call at the port’s Union Pier Terminal. It is expected to move more than 5,000 vehicles a year that were previously moved through a competing South Atlantic port, according to the State Ports Authority.
The Port of Charleston has been losing BMW imports over the last couple of years to the ports of Brunswick and Baltimore. From March this year Mercedes-Benz USA will process 50,000 BMW and MINI vehicles through the Port of Baltimore under a new five-year agreement between the two companies (read more here),
imports that were previously handled by the Port of Charleston.
