TOKYO - Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL, President: Akimitsu Ashida) today announced the start of a new weekly service on two loops with "K"Line, covering Mexico and Chile on Loop 1 and Mexico, Colombia, and Peru on Loop 2. They have joint service on the Asia/Mexico-South America West Coast route (CWL), and will separate into two loops. This will greatly shorten the transport time between Asia and the South America West Coast, and help expand the service.

Loop 2 will also add a call at Ningbo, China, to meet active seaborne trade from that area.

[Rotation]
Loop 1(WL1) - Weekly fixed-day service with nine 2,500 TEU-class full containerships
Keelung (Taiwan) - Hong Kong - Chiwan (China) - Xiamen (China) - Shanghai (China) - Qingdao (China) - Pusan (S. Korea) - Manzanillo (Mexico) - Iquique (Chile) - Valparaiso (Chile) - Lirquén (Chile) - Yokohama - Keelung (Taiwan)

Loop2 (WL2) - Weekly fixed-day service with eight 1,700 TEU-class full containerships
Yokohama - Ningbo (China) - Shanghai (China) - Pusan (S. Korea) - Manzanillo (Mexico) - Buenaventura (Colombia) - Callao (Peru) - Yokohama

(Both loops will be connected from/to additional Asian ports by feeder service.)

[Start of service]
Loop 1: M/V HS Challenger, departing Keelung on March 22
Loop 2: M/V Hansa Aalesund, departing Ningbo on March 30