Oct 31 --Doug J. Marchand, Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd. (Hanjin), Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. ("K" Line), Yang Ming Ltd. (Yang Ming) and United Arab Shipping Co. S.A.G. (UASC) announced today the start-up of a new Suez Canal service linking two of the fastest growing export markets, South East Asia and India, Sri Lanka with the Mediterranean Sea and Savannah.

"We would like to thank our partners for having the confidence in the Georgia Ports Authority to continue to grow their business," said Marchand. "SingaporeIndiaNorthAmerica (SINA) service will bring to Savannah an express service from India that rivals transit times by other services calling competing ports. The combination of fast transit times from India via the Suez Canal, the Savannah area's available distribution centers and the most efficient intermodal infrastructure on the South Atlantic provides customers throughout the Midwest and southern U.S. a compelling reason to switch their traditional port of entry."

The SINA Service will commence next month deploying 8 vessels in the 3,500 - 4,000 TEU capacity range. Providing weekly, fixed week-day service with each of the four Parties deploying two vessels, the SINA Service will cater for cargo in the S.E. Asia to US East Coast as well as the India to US East Coast markets. With East - and Westbound calls at Port Said the new service will also provide competitive transit times to/from Egypt and the East Mediterranean markets.

Georgia's deepwater ports and inland barge terminals support more than 275,968 jobs throughout the state annually and contribute $10.8 billion in income, $35.4 billion in revenue and some $1.4 billion in state and local taxes to Georgia's bustling economy.