FPS Famous Pacific Shipping BV – a Rotterdam-based neutral consolidator - has launched a new, weekly ocean LCL service from Rotterdam to St. Petersburg and vice versa for general groupage cargo. The service provides a direct alternative to the historic routing via Vilnius, slashing transit times from 15 to 4 days. In addition to serving St. Petersburg, FPS can also offer onforwarding to several key inland destinations including Moscow. Clearance in Russia is performed at port or, where required, goods can be trucked in bond for clearance at final destination. Says FPS Director Saskia de Jong: “We expect to attract support for this service from surrounding markets, and also transhipments connecting with our many other global consol services. Rotterdam is a major transhipment hub so we focus on the whole world – this service has big potential.”