Panalpina, the Switzerland-based supplier of forwarding and logistics services, has introduced a new LCL (less than container load) ocean freight service between China and Poland. The service, between Ningbo and Wroclaw in Poland, involves a transit time of 26 days. It complements an existing direct LCL service between Shanghai and Wroclaw.

Panalpina is looking at additional services from the Asia-Pacific region to Wroclaw as it expects considerable economic growth in Poland, especially in the hi-tech sector.

A new shipping line formed only last year, The Containership Company, is set to start services from China to Europe and the US in the next few months once fundraising is completed, reported Seatrade. The Copenhagen-based company will charter six to eight small container vessels for a China- US west coast service and up to a further 10 ships for a China- Europe service. The services will be based out of the Yangtze River Delta port of Taicang and offer direct port-to-port calls only, with no additional door-to-door logistics services offered by most major lines.