Thailand-based logistics firm Regional Container Lines (RCL) has linked up two of its current services to start a direct container shipping service between Thailand and Myanmar, the firm said.
RCL’s Thailand-Singapore strings (RTS) will now be tied up with its Singapore-Yangon service (RSY), which it runs with partner Mitsui OSK Lines.
The combined rotation will include Thai Prosperity Terminal (TPT) – Singapore – Yangon – Port Klang (North port) – Singapore – TPT. This will be a three-vessel, 21-day joint service with Mitsui.
RCL will contribute two vessels, with MOL one vessel in this rotation, RCL said.
The RTY service (RCL Thai Yangon) started its maiden voyage with the Xetha Bhum departing Singapore on April 29 and arriving Yangon on May 3, before starting its voyage towards Port Klang-Singapore-TPT-Singapore-Yangon.
MOL will follow with the Mathu Bhum a week later with RCL providing Yantra Bhum as the third vessel the following week in the same rotation.
Sumate Tanthuwanit, president of RCL, said, “There has traditionally being strong trading links between Thailand and Myanmar. Current imports to Myanmar from Thailand will in fact rank among the top three countries in Asia in container terms.”
Sumate added, “Our customers have asked us to provide weekly direct service between Thailand and Yangon and we feel that this is now the right time to do so, since the trade continues to grow strongly.
“At the same time, we are also responding to the needs of our main line customers who have requested for direct service from Yangon to Thailand, given that Yangon is still a surplus region at this stage of their development, while there is still high demand of boxes in Thailand for exports. The new RTY will meet the needs of Carrier container containers (COC) and Shipper owned containers (SOC) customers in both directions.”
RCL currently owns and operates a fleet of 46 vessels with sizes ranging between 500 TEUs (twenty feet equivalent) to 3,316 TEUs. It also has a fleet of 71,723 TEUs to support its own COC carriage as well.
