Japan's Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha ('K' Line) has upgraded its WCSA service between Asia, Mexico and the west coast of South America, operated in cooperation with Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (N.Y.K. Line). 'K' Line currently operates one weekly sailing jointly with MOL, under the New Andes service, deploying 10 vessels of 2,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. The service is being upgraded to two weekly sailings by way of cooperation among the three lines. The first service loop commences with the July 22 sailing of the MOL Bravery from Keelung; the second on July 29 with the MOL Satisfaction from Busan. In another company development, 'K' Line has launched a new direct service from the Far East to West Africa. The carrier currently operates a feeder service from South Africa to West Africa through transshipment from the Far East to South Africa. The new service will speed up transit times with direct sailings to West Africa, in a joint operation with China Shipping and Hapag-Lloyd AG. The partners will deploy a total of eight vessels of 2,500 TEUs, in a 70-day round voyage.
