Port rotation will be Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Pusan, Seattle, Portland, Yokohama, Kobe, Hong Kong.

The transit times from Hong Kong will be 14 days to Seattle, 16 to Portland, 18 to Chicago, 20 to New York and Detroit and 21 to Boston.

The service will increase capacity, particularly reefer capacity, for Hyundai's existing customers and other businesses involved in the Pacific Rim trade.

The five vessels in the rotation also reflect Hyundai's commitment to the Pacific Northwest in ship names.

Later in the year, Hyundai plans to modify the service, using Seattle as both the first port in and last port out, still including a Portland direct call, to benefit from inland cargoes directed towards both the Pacific Northwest and Pacific Southwest service on new, dedicated stack trains.

Hyundai's dedicated stack trains service from Seattle covers Chicago, Minneapolis, New York, Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit and Boston.

HMM began calling at Seattle in 1985 with its Pacific Southwest service.

The line has more than doubled its volume through Seattle during its eight-year partnership with the port and Stevedoring Services of America, its terminal operator.

Lloyd's List adds that HMM will begin a Japan-Bangkok service under a space charter agreement with Nippong Yusen Kaisha (NYK) next month.

The first vessel, the 923-TEU Ratana Manee, is scheduled to sail from Osaka harbour on April 12 and from Tokyo on April 13.

NYK currently operates fixed-day weekly sailings between Japan and Thailand - the Dragon service (four vessels), Clipper service (three vessels) and Phoenix service (three vessels).

HMM will place the 640-TEU Asian Princess into operation on the Dragon service from Osaka in April and the 944-TEU ACX Jasmin on the Clipper service on April 13.

The Ratna Manee will sail on the Phoenix service under the agreement with NYK Line.