TS Line has announced it would launch its second China-Persian Gulf service (CME) to commence from mid-November.

The company will deploy five ships in the 1,300- to 1,700-TEU range on the new service in the early stages and later replace them with five new 2,546-TEU vessels as they are delivered from January to March, a company statement said.

In the 35-day port rotation, CME ships will go to Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Hong Kong, Shekou, Port Kelang, Jebel Ali, Bandar Abbas, Port Kelang, Hong Kong and Qingdao.

TS Line, with 23 vessels ranging from 1,000- to 3,100 TEU on 24 services covering 20 countries, has developed rapidly in recent years with its ranking among global container shipping carriers rising to 33rd.

To co-ordinate with the launch of the Middle East services, TS Line also plans to add 6,000 TEU and more than 300 reefer slots.

TS Line expected its box volume would reach 1.06 million TEU this year, an increase of 38 per cent over 2006 year on year.