FELIXSTOWE: Port executives are celebrating more new business today after the start of a transatlantic service.

The service, which is operated by The New World Alliance Lines, will serve northern. Europe, the UK and a selection of US east coast ports and Panama.

The Americas Europe Express (AEE) service is the Alliance’s third transatlantic service and complements the two existing weekly services that call at the Port of Felixstowe.

Its offers shippers extremely competitive westbound transit times of eight days between Felixstowe and New York.

David Gledhill, chief executive officer for Hutchison Ports (UK) Ltd, which owns the Port of Felixstowe, said: “This new service is a great addition to those already calling at the Port of Felixstowe and further cements our position as the UK port of choice.

“We are pleased to be able to offer our customers easy access to the most comprehensive transport infrastructure in the country whether via road, rail or coastal feeder.”

The Alliance – comprising shipping companies APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) and Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) – has deployed high-reefer-capacity ships on the weekly service with an average effective capacity of 3,200 standard-sized containers.

APL will supply three of the vessels deployed with HMM and MOL contributing one each.

As with the Alliance’s APX service that already calls at the Port of Felixstowe, Maersk Line will take slots. For Hyundai it marks a welcome return to the Port of Felixstowe as a vessel operator.

The first eastbound vessel – the APL Indonesia – is expected to arrive at the Suffolk port on Saturday March 24.

The vessels call at Manzanillo (Panama), Charleston (US), New York (US), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Bremerhaven (Germany), Felixstowe (UK), New York (US), Charleston (US), and Manzanillo (Panama).