On January 1, 2016, the APL Guam arrived at the island of Guam for the first time. The event marked the maiden inbound shipment to Guam via APL’s Guam Saipan Express (GSX) service.

GSX is designed to give Guam and Saipan shippers an alternative option for shipments from the U.S. mainland to these markets, said an APL announcement. The GSX service connects with APL’s weekly U.S.-flagged Eagle Express service (EX1) in both Yokohama, Japan and Busan, South Korea.

“With 75 percent of Guam’s inbound freight originating from the U.S. mainland, the GSX service provides essential cargo shipments from the U.S. mainland to Guam and Saipan,” said John Selleck, APL general manager for Guam and Micronesia. “Moreover, with the GSX’s connections in Yokohama and Busan, we connect Guam and Saipan with the world through APL’s global network.”

Prior to calling Guam, the 1,100-TEU APL vessel made its first call to Saipan. Upon returning to Yokohama, APL Guam is due to begin its regular two-week rotation, calling Guam, Saipan, Busan, and Yokohama on Saturday, Sunday, Thursday and Tuesday respectively. The fortnightly GSX service is scheduled for weekend arrivals for ready cargo availability on Monday mornings in both Guam and Saipan.