Four-year agreement with the New World Alliance

The South Carolina State Ports Authority (SCSPA) has signed a four-year agreement with the New World Alliance (NWA), which includes global carriers American President Lines (APL), Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., and Mitsui OSK Lines. The agreement secures current business as well as adding a weekly all-water service that connects Charleston, S.C., to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent through the Suez Canal.

The new Suez Express (SZX) service deploys eight vessels capable of carrying between 4,000 and 4,500 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The service includes calls in Colombo, Sri Lanka; Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates; Klang, Malaysia; and Singapore. The SZX service offers inbound transit times of 27 days from Klang, 24 days from Singapore, and 21 days from Colombo. Outbound transit times from Charleston are 14 days to Jebel Ali, 29 days to Klang, 30 days to Singapore, and 35 days to Colombo. The service will call on Charleston's Wando Welch Terminal. NWA selected the Port of Charleston for the route because it offers the carriers access to a solid base of demand for cargo, deep channels, and terminals close to the ocean.

Company: South Carolina State Ports Authority

Company URL: www.scspa.com