Charles G. Kopp, Esq., Chairman of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) has announced that Rickmers-Linie, a regular carrier at the Port of Philadelphia since 2008, will expand its service here with the addition of a Westbound Round-The-World Service that will connect markets in Asia, South America, and North America. The new monthly service will commence immediately and will complement Rickmers’ fortnightly Eastbound Round-The-World “Pearl String” service at the Port of Philadelphia.

Like the earlier service, the new westbound service will call at PRPA’s Tioga Marine Terminal, which is operated by Delaware River Stevedores, Inc.

“This is wonderful news for the Port of Philadelphia,” said Chairman Kopp. “Not only will the Port’s connections to Asia be enhanced, but it’s extremely exciting that we’ll have a new service that will serve emerging markets along the East Coast of South America. That’s an exciting area to do business, ripe with opportunities, and now we’ll be in the thick of it.”

In Rickmers-Linie’s own announcement about its new service, Rickmers Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director Ulrich Ulrichs said, “Having introduced our Round-The-World ‘Pearl String’ service with an eastbound rotation ten years ago, we are convinced that the time to start up a similar concept in the other direction has now come. This move further confirms our commitment to, and trust in, the Asian and South American Markets.”

In addition to the Port of Philadelphia, Rickmers-Linie’s new Westbound Round-The-World service will call ports in Yokohama, Masan, Xingang, Shanghai, Singapore, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, Santos Rio de Janeiro, Vitoria, Savannah, and Houston.

Rickmers will employ two to three multi-purpose heavy-lift vessels for the new service. Project cargoes will be the primary cargoes handled, including turbines, machine parts, air exchangers, and other large items used in the building of factories and other major construction projects.