LLOYD Triestino last week launched a direct express service to its home port of Trieste that also calls Westport.

The maiden call by the 2,764 TEU Merkur Bay at Westport performed 733 moves with a gross crane productivity of 28 moves per hour.

The service offers a 15-day transit time from Westport.

According to Lloyd Triestino Shipping Sdn Bhd, country manager Richard Tan the new service reflects the shipping line's growing emphasis on the Malaysian market with direct eastbound and westbound calls, both in Port Klang and Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP).

"Imports and exports from Penang will be transhipped via this port and we find Westport very strategic for this purpose. Cargoes to and from our neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia and Australia will be transhipped via Port Klang and PTP.

Through the Mediterranean hub of Taranto in Southern Italy, Lloyd Triestino provides further connections to a wide range of East Mediterranean and Black Sea ports.

Exports from Asia into the Adriatic and Central/Eastern Europe continue to grow and the new ADR service is well positioned to offer shippers the best possible routing options.

The new Adriatic Service (ADR) is operated in partnership with CMA CGM and will utilise seven ships, each capable of carrying approximately 2,400 TEUs.Five ships will be provided by Lloyd Triestino and two by CMA CGM.

The port of Trieste has traditionally been the southern gateway for the Austrian market.

Containers discharged in Trieste bound for Vienna and Salzburg in Austria will be immediately connected onto block trains, hence enabling customers to enjoy significant savings of between three to five days in overall door to door transit times as geographically Trieste is much closer to Austria compared to other Northern European gateways.