The Lidl-owned container carrier has added a call at Colombo, increasing frequency from S E Asia to Europe
The giant supermarket’s shipping line appears to have found a niche in the market, like Italian forwarder (Rif)-owned Calypso Line, even though mainstream shipping has “returned to normal.”
Tailwind Shipping Lines is adjusting the sailing schedules of its two liner services. As part of these adjustments, the Panda Express (PAX) service between China and Europe will be expanded to include a port call at Colombo, Sri Lanka. There, the five 5,000+ TEU container ships in the PAX service will also load the cargo from the Tiger Express (TEX) service.
By transhipping this cargo in Colombo, Tailwind will offer a higher sailing frequency for cargo from Bangladesh plus another attractive port of destination in the Mediterranean region.
To date, the TEX service, which aimed at customers in the textile industry, has set sail every 18 days in the direction of Europe with smaller vessels with capacities of around 1,000 TEU. In future, the TEX service will offer feeder sailings to Colombo fortnightly with PANDA 002, an 803 TEU feeder ship. It will be possible to discharge textile goods from Bangladesh that are bound for southern Germany and southeast Europe in Koper, which has excellent intermodal connectivity.
“These adjustments to our sailing schedules reflect the experience we have gained as a young shipping company,” said Christian Stangl, Managing Director of Tailwind. “We are sharpening our profile as a premium service provider on the Asia-Mediterranean route.
“In addition to non-food goods for Lidl, we will continue to focus on cargo from third party customers. In doing so, we are meeting their needs for higher sailing frequency. At the same time, we will continue to be reliable and punctual as well as to get the goods onto shelves quickly.”
Cargo from both Bangladesh and China will reach Europe within 19 days. The five vessels in the PAX service between China and Europe will operate fortnightly, sailing from Qingdao in China via Ningbo and Shenzhen (Da Chan Bay), thereafter Colombo, then to Koper, Barcelona and Rotterdam and back. As a result of the adjustment to the TEX service, it will be possible to sub-charter one ship that has been deployed in the service to date until further notice.
Overall, compared to what was planned in early 2023, the annual capacity of Tailwind’s fleet has increased from 95,000 TEU to 108,000 TEU.
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