WWL strengthens service to Australia from Europe, North America
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL), the global shipping and logistics company, will make its inaugural call to Adelaide, Australia on Saturday May 5th. The call by M/V Aida marks the introduction of a new port call to Adelaide on the WWL route from Europe via North America, the Company press release said.
The announcement comes on the heels of the recent addition of Galveston on the US East Coast to the route. WWL carries cars to the Oceania region but the trade is increasingly driven by Australia’s mining and agricultural industries and the need for heavy equipment in the country.
“We have for some time seen increased demand in the market place for Adelaide, both from North America as well as Europe, mainly driven by large mining projects. We have had several inducement calls over the years and to support this continued customer demand we now establish a fixed port call”, comments Rob Lord, Head of Region Oceania.
Australia has an impressive number of mining projects being planned, with numerous projects approved each month. In 2010, Australia attracted 12 percent of global mining exploration budgets. The mining industry is on track to attract a massive AUD 170 billion in investments for resource projects over the next two years. Although this capital expenditure in mining refers to spending on equipment, plants and assets directly related to mining or concentrating raw materials, it will also involve construction of infrastructure critical to transport the minerals for export.
The enhanced ocean service reflects WWL’s ongoing desire to meet customer needs. It’s part of a long history for the company: WWL ships first called at the port of Sydney in 1895, and have been sailing Down Under ever since. In addition to Adelaide, the company today has regular calls to Brisbane, Port Kembla, Melbourne and Fremantle in Australia as well as to Auckland in New Zeeland.
The service is operated with WWLs flexible and modern fleet of RoRo and PCTC/LCTC vessels, adapted to carry a mix of cars, rolling equipment and breakbulk. Together with the extended ocean service, WWL offers a network of technical services capabilities in Oceania, as well as inland distribution and end to end supply chain management.
About Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics delivers innovative and sustainable global shipping and logistics solutions for manufacturers of cars, trucks, heavy equipment and specialized cargo. WWL has 4000 employees worldwide and deploys around 60 modern vessels. The company has a strong environmental focus and is an industry leader in developing innovative solutions to reduce its operational impacts on the environment.
M/V Aida is a PCTC (Pure Car Truck Carrier) with a capacity of 6,700 cars or a combination of 3,000 cars and 400 pieces of rolling equipment. With her 200 metres she is one of the most efficient PCTCs in the world. The vessel is built to the highest class of Lloyd’s Register of Shipping.