UWL, a top 10 American-owned NVOCC and leading provider of global 3PL services, has contracted with Swire Shipping, a multi-purpose liner service, to launch a new, exclusive express service, departing from Ho Chi Minh City and arriving at the Port of Seattle in 18 days. Providing speed and predictability, the bi-weekly service offers the fastest trip from Vietnam to the US. This revolutionary agreement is the first dedicated ocean service by an NVOCC in the trade.

“Customers have been asking for creative solutions during this extremely challenging market, and this first-of-its-kind service is part of our response. Congestion and rate spikes will come and go, but the root issues remain. US importers are pushing for more creativity and controlled reliable solutions to manage supply chain risk,” UWL President Duncan Wright said.

The service offers priority berthing at both origin and destination, and a dedicated equipment pool for suppliers in Ho Chi Minh City. This includes 6,000 brand-new ocean containers, with 40-foot-high cube and 20-foot containers already in the rotation. Predictability is assured, as schedules are published six months in advance, with two sailings per month.

Upon arrival in Seattle, those needing warehousing or distribution space can take advantage of UWL’s sister company, World Distribution Services (WDS), and its brand-new 300,000 sq. ft. facility near Tacoma, WA, just a short drive away from the Port of Seattle.

“In joining forces with UWL, an innovative and integrated logistics provider to American BCOs, we are confident that our ocean express solution will be compelling to importers and exporters who need a direct port-to-port, fast, and reliable service between Vietnam and the Pacific Northwest,” said Rufus Frere-Smith, Regional Head, Americas, Swire Shipping, which facilitates trade in more than 90 countries and across 400 ports. “Our partnership is built on a joint vision of responding to customers’ desire for reliable, safe, and innovative shipping solutions.”

Wright noted: “We have seen incredibly strong demand for this service already, which tells us that fast and reliable niche services are here to stay. Our relationship with Swire Shipping is critical to making all this work. Their remarkable 150-year history and robust knowledge of ocean shipping and strong Asia legacy, combined with UWL’s culture of innovation, brings this dedicated service to life.”

Frere-Smith commented: “We have deployed new state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient vessels that will sail at high speed, safely and sustainably. We are confident customers and BCOs will find this direct, express service to be extremely effective in shipping their high value products and getting to market quickly.”