WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN MAIN RO-ROS ADD QINGDAO, DROP LONG BEACH

WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN MAIN RO-ROS ADD QINGDAO, DROP LONG BEACH    The nine-ship twice a month “Main Ro-Ro” roll-on/roll-off service of Wallenius Wilhelmsen has added an extra direct call at Qingdao on the eastbound-only Asia/North America leg of its extended North Europe/North America/Australasia/Asia/North America/North Europe itinerary.   
   To compensate for this added port call in China, the Main Ro-Ro ships will no longer call at Long Beach en route to Panama, the company said.
   However, Wallenius Wilhelmsen's four new “Mark IV ro-ro” ships are currently taking over a monthly four-ship pure-car-truck-carrier string running parallel to to the Main Ro-Ro string, and this service will now make inward calls at Long Beach, starting immediately, the company said.
   The fourth new vessel enters service this month.
   Wallenius Wilhelmsen also has 2 to 3 PCTC sailings a month from Asia to the U.S. East Coast and then Northern Europe, which will now begin calling at Long Beach. “At present the volume is down a bit, so we will wait to see just how often the Long Beach calls are needed,” a spokesman said.