OceanGuaranteed, First day-definite Container Service, Expands to Mexico

Full North American coverage for breakthrough product from APL Logistics, Con-way Freight
LAREDO, Texas, and ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Aug. 5, 2009 – The world’s first guaranteed service for containerized trade is moving into Mexico, extending the reach of day-definite delivery to shippers throughout North America.

APL Logistics and Con-way Freight said today their OceanGuaranteed service for less-than-container load (LCL) cargo from Asia will now reach all major metropolitan markets in Mexico. It’s the biggest expansion yet of the 3-year-old program that combines ocean and truck transportation to deliver cargo to a customer’s store door.

“We’re already serving most of the continent with day-definite service,” said APL Logistics President Jim McAdam. “We’re pleased that we can now extend OceanGuaranteed throughout North America by incorporating the very important Mexican market.”

OceanGuaranteed debuted in 2006 as a China-to-U.S. service. It expanded last year into Canada. With the addition of Mexico, origin ports in Asia are now connected for the first time to every major North American market via day-definite delivery.

Day-definite means that cargo arrives on a date agreed to by the shipper and carrier. If it doesn’t, the shipper is refunded a portion of the transportation fee.

“OceanGuaranteed has proven to be very popular with shippers in the U.S. and Canada who need a high degree of assurance that cargo will arrive when they need it,” said John Labrie, president of Con-way Freight. “We’re confident it will prove equally popular with Mexican shippers who need reliability at favorable rates.”

APL Logistics, a leading supply chain management company; and Con-way Freight, one of the top less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking companies in the U.S.; launched OceanGuaranteed to compete with highly reliable but expensive air freight carriers. The service was not only the first of its kind; it’s up to 60% less expensive than air freight.

OceanGuaranteed cargo moves from Asia on vessels operated by APL, the world’s seventh largest container carrier. Con-way Freight then transports shipments to final destinations.

Because the ships, trucks and terminals in the OceanGuaranteed network are owned by one of the two partners or their affiliates, they can provide expedited service. That includes late-gate privileges at origin ports and first-off priority at the Port of Los Angeles where the vessels arrive. OceanGuaranteed’s on-time performance record is better than 98%.

For its new Mexico service, OceanGuaranteed cargo will be transported on dedicated Con-way Freight trucks from Los Angeles to Laredo, Texas. From there cargo will cross the border to Mexico with delivery via a Con-way Freight affiliate to the final destination.