As one of the longest-running shipping lines in Japan, APL celebrated its 150th anniversary in Japan Yokohama-Kawasaki International Port Corporation and Yokohama Port Corporation paid tribute to APL, and APL reaffirmed its commitment to advancing global maritime affairs.

APL CEO Nicolas Sartini said: "Japan is strategic to APL's growth within Asia and we will build on a 150-year-old foundation that few have. Our navigation is in line with Japan's global trading ambitions , and will continue to facilitate trade with new service routes and shipping solutions. APL hopes to further cooperate with Japanese authorities and cargo owners in order to achieve meaningful milestones in the next 150 years.”

APL currently connects Japan with her major trading partners such as Australia, China, Korea, North America, Taiwan and Thailand through 13 services. Among these services, APL's Japan Express Service (JPX) directly connects Japan with the US West Coast, while Japan Straits Express Service (JSX) is the option for shippers seeking to access global markets through Singapore.

Facilitate the growth of trade between Japan and China and South East Asia***, through APL's Thailand-Vietnam Service (JTV), Japan-Thailand 2 Service (JT2) and Japan-Thailand 5 Service (JT5) etc. for shippers in various respective target markets.

As Japan's export growth rate accelerates, APL's exceeding standards and SMART refrigeration expertise provide solutions for Japanese products. In particular, APL customizes the application of its cold storage solutions through testing with shippers. In Japan, APL provides technical support and provides expertise to Japanese agricultural producers to facilitate export market development.

APL also owns a wholly-owned terminal in the Port of Yokohama, Japan, and is an important gateway for nine APL services servicing trans-Pacific and intra-Asia trade. With a quay length of 400 meters and a cargo berth length of 16 meters, the 45-acre facility is equipped with an annual capacity of 540,000 tons of twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). With a production rate of 38 containers per hour, APL continuously ensures excellent terminal efficiency, increasing the competitiveness of the Port of Yokohama. And in 2018, it is planned to further upgrade the terminal operating system.

Sartini added: "APL will continue to build a stronger network and strengthen our operations to maintain delivering value to the markets we serve. We also believe that our customers will continue to collaborate and continue to meet their needs."

Today, APL is supported by more than 100 employees in three offices in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama.