SWIRE, Rickmers Forge Middle East and India Partnership

SWIRE Shipping and Rickmers-Linie have launched a connecting carrier partnership in India and the Middle East, following an annoucement today.

Under this partnership, Swire Shipping, the liner shipping division of The China Navigation Company, will be able to connect its breakbulk and project cargoes in India and the Middle East, through Rickmers-Linie’s Middle East and India Service, to its network in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific, via Singapore.

“This collaboration with Rickmers-Linie allows Swire Shipping to provide its customers with another shipping solution for their multipurpose cargo needs. It enhances our network coverage by providing a regular breakbulk service out of India and the Middle East into the South Pacific region,” said William Arblaster, Commercial Manager, Swire Shipping.

In total the cooperation will connect 12 ports in the transportation network and will accept cargo up to 120 metric tons.

Gerhard Janssen, Director Global Sales and Marketing for Rickmers-Linie added, “Since our vessels from Europe to the Middle East and India continue to Singapore, this cooperation offers an increased range of destinations and loading ports on offer for customers of both Swire Shipping and Rickmers-Linie. We are looking forward to a fruitful cooperation.”

The first voyage is scheduled to depart Mumbai on 9 June 2015, the first voyage from Jebel Ali being on 28 June 2015. The load ports are Jebel Ali, Mumbai, Chennai, Dammam, Kolkata (other ports on inducement). The destination ports, via Singapore, are Papua New Guinea, Solomons, New Caledonia, Fiji, Australian East Coast, Darwin, East Timor and New Zealand.