Chinese operator Tangshan Port Hede Shipping, part of the Hebei Port Group, which had operated coastal box shipping services as well as China-Japan-South Korea routes, has expanded into Southeast Asia, with a new service connecting Tangshan port with Ho Chi Minh and Laem Chabang in Vietnam and Thailand.
The service kicked off with the 1,096 TEU HS Hong Kong departing Tangshan on 7 April. According to Alphaliner, it is the only regular service linking Tangshan to Vietnam and Thailand.
Last October, Hebei Port Group integrated Qinhuangdao Port Group and Tangshan Port Industrial Group.
Tangshan Hede currently operates 18 ships with sizes ranging from 400 to 2,700 TEU, covering domestic and sea-going routes.
Martina Li
Asia Correspondent
