TS Lines have announced a new China-Australia Express "CAX" service deploying five 2700 TEU container vessels.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, with over 1,700 tourists aboard, anchored in the central city of Nha Trang on April 19, after visiting Ho Chi Minh City.

The Saigontourist Travel Service Company on April 20 welcomed the arrival of the Costa Romantica cruise ship in HCM City.

Agility has announced two senior appointments in Indochina to strengthen the company's presence in this dynamic emerging sub- area.

The General Department of Military Industry's Song Thu Shipbuilding Company has launched a FSC 5009 freighter in Danang City.

The world's biggest shipper Maersk expects the strong growth seen in shipping industry early this year to drop off in the second half of the year, as volume has outpaced gains in retail sales. Chief operating officer at Maersk Line, Morten H. Engelstoft said: "The current supply and demand balance remains fragile," speaking at the annual Containerisation International Global Liner Shipping Conference in London, Monday, the Journal of Commerce reports.

Diamond Princess ship carrying 2,800 international tourists and 1,000 crew docked at Nha Trang Port on April 9. The tourists were then offered a tour of Nha Trang City and tour of the countryside.

"K" Line, which operates the all-water AWE-4 service from East Asia to the U.S. East Coast on behalf of the CKYH Alliance (Cosco, "K" LINE, Yang Ming and Hanjin Shipping), will deploy larger ships on that service in conjunction with MOL in the middle of May.

International co-operation at sea will increase mutual understanding between countries, support the sea-based economy and create a scientific basis for the confirmation of Vietnam's sovereignty over its seas.

Maersk Line plans to add a direct, all water call from South Vietnam to the U.S. West Coast to its Trans-Pacific 6 service.