JAPANESE shipping group Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) is adding a port call at Da Chan Bay in Shenzhen to its Japan-Hong Kong-Straits Service (CHS1), starting August 20.

The weekly CHS1 route is served by three 3,500-TEU ships. "The additional call at Da Chan Bay will meet increasing demand in Shenzhen, South China, a rapidly expanding region. It also allows MOL to offer direct service from Shenzhen to Japan," a statement from MOL said.

The expanded port rotation for the CHS1 service is: Tokyo (Mon-Tue), Yokohama (Tue-Tue), Nagoya (Wed-Wed), Kobe (Thu-Thu), Hong Kong (Sun-Mon), Singapore (Thu-Fri), Port Kelang (Fri-Sat), Singapore (Sun-Mon), Da Chan Bay (Thu-Thu), Hong Kong (Thu-Fri), returning to Tokyo.

The first MOL vessel to call at the Da Chan Bay container terminal, which opened in May, will be the MOL Expeditor, voyage 06036, on August 20.