ZIM Integrated Shipping Services will contribute an additional vessel to the Asia-Gulf Express Service (AGX) which calls at the Port of Tampa. This will bring the total to ten ships of 3,000 teu capacity in the AGX, which was also recently enhanced with the addition of the Japanese ports of Osaka and Yokohama to the service.

'Zim has answered the call to the overwhelming response by shippers who require a reliable, comprehensive, fast service to Asia via Tampa,' noted Tom Keen, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Sales for Zim. 'We have added Japan to give Florida importers and exporters the opportunity to take advantage of new market opportunities with more sailings and very competitive transit times.'

'Tampa Port Authority applauds these enhancements which will bring greater reliability to the AGX and expand the market reach for our customers,' stated Tampa Port Director Richard Wainio. 'With over seven million people within 100 miles, the Port of Tampa is home to the largest consumer market in the Southeastern US and is a rapidly expanding distribution center gateway.'

The ZIM AGX Service offers a direct connection from the US Gulf to Asia featuring competitive transit times and all water, fixed, weekly sailings. Tampa continues to be the first inbound US port call on the AGX service with the following port rotation: Shanghai, Pusan, Osaka, Yokohama, Colon, Kingston, Tampa, Mobile, Houston, Kingston, Colon, Shanghai.

Zim is among one of the top 20 container shipping companies in the World. ZIM provides an integrated ocean transportation and logistics service in the world's major international trade routes.