April 28 - Partner Shipping AS of Norway and Praxis Logistics of Australia has agreed to charter two pure car and truck carriers, currently nearing completion, from Vroom, a Dutch shipowner, to operate a triangular shipping service linking the West Coast

Whilst the vessels each have capacity for 3,930 cars, the service will also target high and heavy cargoes.

The two companies appear to be taking advantage of the slump in demand for newbuild capacity at a time when other specialist lines are laying up a significant percentage of their fleets in response to the decline in seaborne automobile shipments.

Partner Shipping was set up in 2008 by ex-UECC managers and Praxis Logistics was established by ex-Wallenius Wilhelmsen staff in Australia