APL, a Singapore-based container shipping business, plans to start a third service at the end of October that will connect Vietnamese and Thai manufacturing centres with Japan, South China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

In a recent announcement, the global shipping leader, which already participates in two new services from Vietnam launched in June, said the new Japan-Thailand-Vietnam service will further strengthen its Intra-Asia short sea network and better serve key manufacturing and consumption markets within Asia.

APL expects volume to grow as manufacturers of apparel and footwear, home furnishings and furniture move more production to Vietnam to take advantage of low-cost labor and to diversify their sourcing.

The carrier said its new JTV service will enable importers and exporters to access APL's global network via Hong Kong and Kaohsiung , from where shippers can also tap into the Philippines market.

APL will deploy three ships on the service, each with a capacity of 1,200 20-foot containers.

The port rotation for the JTV will be: Tokyo , Yokohama and Kobe of Japan, Chiwan of China, Hong Kong, Laem Chabang of Thailand , Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam , Kaohsiung of Taiwan and back to Tokyo./.