OOCL is to launch the new China Pakistan Express 2 (CPX2) to increase its service frequency from China to Pakistan.

  The CPX2 offers direct services from Xiamen to Karachi as well as Karachi to Shanghai. "Together with our existing Asia-Indian Subcontinent service network, customers can enjoy more flexible and faster liner services in this vibrant trade region," the carrier said in a statement.

  The CPX2's first sailing will depart from Shanghai on December 12 on the following port potation: Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Singapore, Karachi, returning to Shanghai.

  In a separate development, OCCL announced that as a result of expected low demand during the upcoming Christmas and New Year period it is withdrawing two trans-Atlantic sailings from its Gateway Express 2 (GEX2) service.

  There will be no westbound sailing from Southampton on December 26 and the eastbound sailing from Montreal on January 5 will also be cancelled.

  In addition, the port rotation for the westbound sailing of the Toronto Express (TRX) 291W will drop the Southampton call. The revised port rotation is: Hamburg (expected time of arrival: January 17), Antwerp (ETA: January 19), and Montreal (ETA: January 30).