June 21 - Effective July 1, Swire Shipping is launching a new twice-monthly direct multipurpose liner service from Australia to New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Swire Shipping will deploy two Miho-class vessels to service the route, which will have the following port rotation: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane (Australia), Noumea, Prony Bay (New Caledonia), Suva (Fiji), Port Vila, Santo (Vanuatu), Prony Bay, Melbourne.

The Pacific Islands service will also provide connections to Tarawa (Kiribati), Majuro (Marshall Islands), Apia (Samoa), Pago Pago (American Samoa) and Nuku'alofa (Tonga). It will also improve Swire Shipping's Fiji to Vanuatu connection with three sailings per month, said the shipping line.

In conjunction with the introduction of the Pacific Islands service, Swire Shipping will enhance its Australia to Papua New Guinea (PNG) trade with an eight-day frequency from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to Port Moresby and Lae.

Meanwhile, Swire Shipping's connection from New Zealand and Fiji to PNG will be boosted with the addition of a Port Moresby call on every sailing. The service frequency will also be improved to 16 days.


In addition, the carrier will enhance port rotation from Asia to the Pacific, offering a monthly frequency to Fiji, Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.

www.swireshipping.com