Singapore-based container shipping company APL, part of CMA CGM, plans to launch the New Zealand Express II (NZ2) service, starting from late December.

The new weekly service, linking New Zealand and North Asian ports, is said to complement the company’s New Zealand Express (NZE) service.

With the launch of the NZ2 service, APL said it will offer a network of six Oceania services that connect Asia with Australia and New Zealand.

“APL introduced the new NZ2 service to serve the China-New Zealand market in a direct and more efficient way,” Tonnie Lim, APL Head of Intra-Asia Trade, said, adding that the new service will offer faster connectivity between the North Asia and Oceania markets.

The NZ2 Service will call the ports of Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan), Brisbane (Australia), Auckland, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Napier, Tauranga (New Zealand), Hong Kong (Hong Kong) and Keelung (Taiwan).