On 2 January, APL and Guam celebrated the New Year with APL Saipan’s maiden call at the Port of Guam, officially commencing the weekly service for the Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service. The US flagged APL Saipan joins its sister ship, the US flagged APL Guam which first arrived in Guam a year ago. The GSX service now has its frequency doubled, capacity increased by over two folds and transit time from the US Mainland to Guam and Saipan improved by three days, the company said in its press release.
Supported by the 1,100-TEU APL Guam and now the 1,600-TEU APL Saipan, the GSX service now calls the ports of Busan (Korea), Yokohama (Japan), Guam and Saipan every week.
The GSX service strategically connects Guam and Saipan to nearly anywhere in the world through its global shipping network in Yokohama and Busan. From the two markets, the GSX service also facilitates cargo shipments from the U.S. mainland to Guam and Saipan via connecting weekly US flag Eagle Express service (EX1).
The APL Saipan is scheduled to make its maiden call at its namesake Port of Saipan in the US Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands on Tuesday, 3 January.