HMM Adds 2 More Ships on Busan~LA Route to Protect Export Companies

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] HMM will temporarily deploy two container ships on the North American West Coast route for domestic export companies exporting to the United States.

On the 12th, HMM announced that it will urgently deploy two container ships on the direct service route between Busan and Los Angeles (LA), USA. The two vessels are scheduled to depart from Busan on the 31st of this month and arrive in LA on the 11th of next month.

This is the third time HMM has urgently deployed container ships following August and September.

The vessels to be deployed this time are the 5,000 TEU-class Prestige and the 4,600 TEU-class Integral. Both container ships were also deployed once each in August and September.

Earlier, the Korea Shipowners' Association announced that HMM would additionally deploy one container ship during the same period, but due to increased cargo volume following the recovery of the U.S. economy, the additional deployment was decided.

HMM CEO Bae Jae-hoon said, "Domestic export companies are facing difficulties in cargo transportation due to a shortage of space on the North American West Coast route," adding, "Although HMM has no idle vessels at all, we decided on the urgent deployment to protect domestic export companies."