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The 3 rd week of June has been as eventful as the first two weeks. Let us browse through the significant happenings and find out what’s new in the shipping world! APL Has Launched Its Second Service to Boost the Intra-Asia Network The APL shipping company has recently introduced a new China-Southeast Asia service that will be extremely beneficial in enhancing its already well-established Intra-Asia network. The new service string will boost the Indonesia connectivity by operating from June 30 th and transferring shipment from Shanghai and Ningbo to Jakarta and Surabaya. The service rotation is already fixed at Shanghai-Ningbo-Shekou-Jakarta-Surabaya-Kaohsiung-Shanghai etc. As per the recent reports, the new China-Southeast Asia Service 8 (CS8) that will link the Central and Southern regions of China with Indonesia, will be operating on a weekly basis to pave the path for an improved connectivity. This will ensure a direct access to the major Chinese markets of Shekou, Shanghai, Ningbo etc. to the important ports of Jakarta and Surabaya in Indonesia. The service will facilitate the delivery of cargo from China to Indonesia in a matter of just 8-11 days. If we consider the active transfer of shipment from Shekou to the major Indonesian ports like Jakarta, Surabaya etc., it can be accomplished in just 5-8 days. After receiving a considerable amount of success with the earlier China-Southeast Asia Service 6 (CS6) that also stops at the Manila port, the APL company decided to cut down the transit time in CS8 for more positive results. Read More . MSC Cruises Placed Order for Newbuild Cruise Ship at STX France The MSC Cruises Company has signed an agreement of $1.06 billion for a fifth Meraviglia class cruise vessel at STX France, which is expected to be delivered in 2023. The vessel will be built with all technically advanced, modern equipment that will include a new generation of dual-fuel engines running only on liquefied natural gas (LNG). With the addition of the Meraviglia-Plus vessel, the organization is planning to take hold of 13 new vessels by 2026. In a recent ceremony held at the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, MSC Cruises revealed that the name ‘MSC Virtuosa’ will be bestowed on the fourth Meraviglia class vessel, which observed its steel-cutting ceremony.  The ceremony also celebrated the coin ceremony of ‘MSC Grandiosa’ and the float-out of ‘MSC Bellissima’. The Executive Chairman of the Cruise Line, Pier Francesco Vago, highlighted the fact that with the order of the 13 th vessel under the company’s 10-year investment plan, the company will definitely undergo a sustainable growth curve in the near future. The fifth Meraviglia-Plus ship will represent groundbreaking environmental technology that will hugely benefit the company in its journey for constant improvement. Read More Shreyas Containership Catches Fire Near the Coast of Kolkata In an unfortunate accident, the containership called ‘SSL Kolkata’ suffered an explosion near Kolkata. The 1,118 teu-sized vessel is owned by the Shreyas Shipping and was carrying 464 containers while on its journey from Krishnapatnam to Kolkata. Suddenly an explosion occurred due to a fire outbreak on the ship’s deck, which compelled the Captain to send out distress signals and order his crew to immediately evacuate the vessel. While the ship tried to change its course, and move to shallow waters instead, the Indian Coast Guard made no delay in sending rescue vessels, aircraft etc. and was able to save the lives of 22 crews. With almost 70% of the containership affected by the fire, ongoing firefighting operations are struggling hard to cease it. Read More Chennai Port Is All Set to Become a Major Bunkering Hub in India The Chennai Port has shown the potential of becoming a significant bunkering hub in the country, mainly due to the fact that it is conveniently located on the Eastern Coast and is situated close to the international mainline vessel routes. Moreover, the port is also an integral part of the coastal cargo routes. The Chennai Port has installed a small albeit useful 30-metre facility at its Bharathi Dock, which is operated by IOCL and serves bunkers to the vessels that anchor at the port. In order to meet the rising demands for the growth in the volume of bunker fuels and the changes occurring after GST, the port is looking forward to developing its bunkering services. Read More The Quebec Port Plans to Build a Bulk Grain Terminal to Promote the Agricultural Market The Quebec Port Authority has aimed to construct a new, bulk grain terminal that has an incredible capacity of 135,000 tons. A grain elevation tower is being built to sample, clean and weigh the particular load of grains before it is transferred to export ships. The ship-loading system, two covered conveyor systems and the necessary bulk-handling equipment will be revamped in order to facilitate an improved service. Read More Want to know more news Around the World ? Stay tuned every Monday to ODeX and get the latest in shipping.