Rickmers-Linie and Eastern Car Liner to expand their cooperation in the Trans Pacific trade

Rickmers-Linie, the Hamburg based break-bulk, heavylift and project cargo specialist and Eastern Car Liner, Ltd, Tokyo, will expand their cooperation in the Trans Pacific trade. Since 2006 Rickmers-Linie has deployed ECL's vessels from the US to Asia. The newly concluded agreement will allow Rickmers-Linie also to utilize the ECL vessels eastbound from Asia to the US Gulf & East Coast. This new expanded cooperation will be effective with the sailing of Fortune Epoch (V514) sailing Japan in early October.

The four 11,000 dwt vessels that are involved in this cooperation come with heavy lift gear capable of lifting loads of up to 120 tons. These vessels were built between 1995 and 1998 and are equipped with Ro-Ro ramps. Regular loadings ports within Rickmers-Linie's eastbound service will include Moji, Kure, Nagoya, Hitachi and other ports not presently served by Rickmers' Round-the-World vessels.

The four vessels involved are Fortune Epoch, Reina Rosa, Del Sol and Millennium Falcon.

With this agreement, both Rickmers-Linie and ECL will be optimizing their operations within the US Gulf & East Coast services and cooperating on the monthly service from Asia to US Gulf & East Coast. For Rickmers-Linie, this expanded cooperation will enhance both its westbound and eastbound services.

Valued customers can continue either to send their inquiries, as well as booking requirements, directly to either Rickmers-Linie or ECL.

Schedule details for the expanded service and company information are available on the Rickmers-Linie website: www.rickmers-linie.com.

Information on ECL can be found under www.ecl.co.jp

A downloadable photograph to accompany the press release is available at http://www.dunelmpr.co.uk/Rickmers-photogallery-NEW.html.

Rickmers-Linie and Eastern Car Liner Ltd, Tokyo, will expand their cooperation in the Trans Pacific trade. This new expanded cooperation will be effective with the sailing of Fortune Epoch (V514) sailing Japan in early October.

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Note to editors

Celebrating its 175th anniversary this year, Rickmers-Linie, based in Hamburg, Germany is one of the world's leading specialists in the global transportation of breakbulk, heavylift and project cargo by sea. The company belongs to Rickmers Group, which offers diversified activities in the fields of liner shipping, shipowning and shipmanagement, investments and real estate as well as maritime related services.