WWL to Provide North America-Oceania Service

Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) has increased its ocean service from the Americas to Oceania from three to four sailings per month, effective November 1, 2008.

In March 2009, the four monthly calls between the Americas and Oceania will be scheduled into a regular weekly service further enhancing access into and out of Oceania and other key global markets.

The increase in service to Oceania is in response to the needs of manufacturers and shippers of new and used heavy equipment and automakers who depend on frequent and flexible transport solutions, says WWL.

Out of Europe, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics service levels to Oceania will be maintained at the current six sailings per month and the company will continue to offer two to three sailings per month from Europe to South Africa.

John Felitto, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial for Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Region Americas, commented, "WWL's expertise in this market is unmatched. Now, with a regular and more frequent service to Oceania, our customers are better positioned to take advantage of every up-tick in demand with improved cost-effectiveness two critical variables for successfully operating in the current economy."

WWL and its owners have been in the Oceania trades for over 110 years. Last year, the company opened a state-of-the-art technical services facility in Port Kembla, Australia for the processing of import and export construction equipment, heavy machinery and vehicles.

Port rotation for the service is:  Baltimore, MD; Savannah, GA; Manzanillo (Panama), Auckland (New Zealand), Brisbane (Australia), Port Kembla (Australia), Melbourne (Australia) , Fremantle (Australia). There is also one sailing a month to the ports of Papeete (Tahiti) and Noumea (New Caledonia). The vessels servicing these two ports will call at both ports prior to her Auckland call.

The upgraded service offers transhipment opportunities from WWL s hub port in Manzanillo (Panama) to and from other ports in the Americas and regional ports in Oceania.