Japanese carrier Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) will launch an ad-hoc call that will directly connect Subic port to Singapore starting this month.
NYK said the service “is marked by many firsts, opening (up) more opportunities for Philippine shipping.”
It is the first service in the Philippines to make a direct call from Subic to Singapore, a major transshipment port providing numerous connections to East Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, Europe, Africa, North America, Australia, and New Zealand ports, NYK said.
It is also the first direct call from Japan to Subic in addition to regular Taiwan-Subic calls, the carrier added.
NYK said the new service is part of the company’s plans to “provide an alternative solution to the port congestion situation in Manila.” It complies with Executive Order 172 issued in September this year declaring Subic as an extension of Manila port in cases of congestion and during emergencies.
“NYK has made this move as a contribution to help solve the current concerns in Manila and in response to the Philippine government’s request to decongest Manila ports,” NYK said in a statement.
The ad-hoc call starts November 22 at Subic Port using NYK’s MV Jakarta Tower v.002S, which has a capacity of 2,300 twenty-foot-equivalent units.
NYK will be providing Subic discharge and load options for urgent cargoes to minimize their vessel’s overall port stay in Manila.
Exclusively for NYK bookings, the direct call will be part of NYK’s Meteor service’s southbound rotation, which will have this adjusted route: Osaka-Yokkaichi-Shimizu-Tokyo-Yokohama-Kobe-Kaohsiung-Subic-Manila-Ho Chi Minh-Singapore.
The Subic Bay Maritime Technical Working Group, composed of representatives from government agencies and the private sector, earlier identified ports that could be directly linked to Subic such as China, Japan, and Singapore.
NYK is the second liner to heed the call for direct calls to Subic. Intra-Asia liner SITC started its Hakata-Shanghai-Xiamen-Subic-Manila-Xiamen-Shanghai-Busan-Hakata route last October.
The two carriers are the latest additions to Subic’s regular callers that include APL, Wan Hai Lines, and Swire Shipping. – Roumina Pablo
