Hamburg, Germany: PIL Pacific International Lines (Singapore) and Wan Hai Lines (Taiwan) have resumed operation of their FES scheduled container liner service from the Far East to northern Europe.
On April 15, the 'Kota Lambai', owned by Pacific International Lines, was the first ship to call at the Port of Hamburg. Some 2,032TEU were loaded and unloaded at the HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT). The second vessel to call at Hamburg as part of the service will be the 'Wan Hai 510', scheduled to arrive a week later.
The 'Kota Lambai' is 263.2 metres long and 32.2 metres wide. It has a carrying capacity of 4,250TEU, with connections for 400 refrigerated containers (reefers).
Due to reduced demand as a result of the global economic crisis, the FES service, which has been in existence since 2004, was suspended at the end of 2008 and replaced with a slot charter operation. Since the cargo flows on the Asia route have picked up again, PIL and Wan Hai have now reinstated their service.
Hamburg, as an important port in the trade with China and the Far East, is once again on the itinerary. As well as the port of the river Elbe, the FES also calls at the European ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam. In Hamburg the liner service is handled at the HHLA Container Terminal Tollerort (CTT). On the return leg, the service docks at Port Kelang, Singapore, Shekou, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong and Nansha.