Qingdao joins LCL service to US

OceanGuaranteed, less-than-container-load (LCL) cargo service to the US, recently added Qingdao, China, to its growing list of Asian origin ports.

It's the second expansion of the service since it was introduced in September of 2006 by APL Logistics and Con-way Freight.

With the latest expansion, LCL customers can use OceanGuaranteed to ship from four ports in China – Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong – as well as Yokohama, Japan, Busan, Korea, Singapore and Kaoshiung, Taiwan. By adding Qingdao, OceanGuaranteed has significantly expanded options for shippers seeking port-to-door delivery to the US.

"Customers who need to expedite shipments of, say, electronic goods and automotive parts, as well as those factories and customers that have experienced production delays or accelerated ship windows, are now able to take advantage of this great value alternative to international air freight out of Qingdao," said Paul Tay, vice-president of APL Logistics in greater China.

"With this premium ocean-truck service, shippers can be assured day-definite transits of just 14 to 20 days from Qingdao to U.S. destinations including door delivery to 99.9 percent of zip codes across the US."

APL Logistics, a global supply chain services provider, and Con-way Freight, a leading North American less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking company, teamed up to introduce OceanGuaranteed as a premium ocean LCL-domestic US LTL service providing day-definite delivery and fast transit times for Asia export cargoes.

At approximately one-fourth the cost of air freight, the programme is designed to speed shipments from Asia to the US, providing cycle time consistency and reliability with a money-back transit time guarantee.

Utilising Con-way Freight's dedicated fleet and transportation network of 460 operating locations, LCL shipments arriving at Los Angeles are delivered in an average of just four business days virtually anywhere in the continental United States.

Shipments that fail to meet the delivery-day commitment (see transit table below) receive a 20 percent discount, subject to the terms of the service guarantee.

Shipments are arriving on time 98.6 percent of the time, according to APL Logistics and Con-way Freight. Year-end figures aren't yet available, but it was reported that OceanGuaranteed cargo volume increased five fold in the first half of 2007.