South Korea’s leading container carrier Hyundai Merchant Marine Co. (HMM) said Monday that it will launch a new shipping liner from China to Australia named Australia No.1 Express (A1X) in August in partnership with Taiwan’s Evergreen and France’s APL.

The new A1X service will be regularly operated on a route from Ningbo to Shanghai, Yantian, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane with five 4,600 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) vessels, two offered by HMM and three by Evergreen and APL. HMM previously rented space in carriers run by global shippers including Maersk, MSC, ONE and Hamburg Sud to provide its service on the route.

HMM aims to dispatch the Hyundai Supreme container, its first A1X ship, from Ningbo on August 17. To reinforce its business and service in Australia, the company plans to turn its branch in the country into a subsidiary.

“We will be able to provide outstanding and stable service (on the route) in partnership with global shippers,” an official from the company said, adding that the company will strengthen the cooperation to expand its presence and enhance customer service in the Australian market.

Shares of Hyundai Merchant Marine ended Monday 2.12 percent higher at 5,780 won.

By Moon Ji-woong and Choi Mira

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]