INTERASIA LINES
INTERASIA LINES I
Interasia Lines is a container shipping carrier providing a dependable network of services throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Executive Vice President Jeff Lo and Special Assistant to the President Brendan Williams discussed the company’s new investments and expansion into new markets. Report by Antonia Cole.
Recently, Interasia Lines achieved a significant milestone, Special Assistant to the President Brendan Williams said:
“We have just had the delivery of the company’s first ever newbuild vessel. In 2022, we signed a contract for six 3,000TEU newbuilds with Japan Marine United (JMU). 40 colleagues from different offices all came together to welcome the first one to our fleet and celebrate our efforts over the past years.”
Founded in 1967, Interasia Lines has a long history of growth and expansion. The company began in Japan, focusing on trade to nearby countries, including Singapore and
Malaysia. In 2012, the company underwent a major growth period, which expanded its scope around the world. Interasia Lines grew from six offices to a network of 22, employing 650 people.
The company now has a fleet of 16 of its own vessels, which will grow with the delivery of the remaining five newbuilds.
Additionally, Interasia Lines consistently operates approximately 20 vessels at a time around the world.
“In 2013, we were ranked 95th among liner operators,” added Executive Vice President Jeff Lo. “Now, we are 34th with a total
capacity of over 50,000TEU. The company and our market reach have expanded to a great extent. We are operating all over the world, but our Japanese heritage has always remained a core part of our identity.
Our slogan, ‘Move Ahead’, represents our drive to constantly innovate and evolve.”
New services
This year, Interasia Lines introduced a service connecting South China with Vietnam and Thailand. The new line provides a more reliable service and supports trade in the region. With shipping demand growing
across Asia, the company’s network between these countries facilitates stable economic growth.
“These lines hold great potential for us as a company,” explained Mr Lo. “For example, Vietnam requires a lot of raw materials to support exports to the rest of Asia, America and Europe. We facilitate this trade and that, in turn, allows our company to grow. By providing premium, reliable and high-quality services, we help develop the export market throughout Asia.”
The company is also restructuring its China and East Africa direct services into two separate loops. Strengthening presence in both regions, this service improves market visibility and positions Interasia Lines as a dedicated service provider for East Africa. The loops have separate scheduling for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and Mombasa in Kenya.
“There are many growth possibilities in this market,” continued Mr Williams. “With population and economic activity increasing in East Africa, this was a natural progression from our current offerings. We aim to meet the demand of our customers. So, when demand increases, we adjust our services to meet requirements.”
Trade within the Asian market remains a core focus for the company, with routes between China and West India offering major growth over the past 10 years. In this time, the weekly space percentage of this market in the company’s service portfolio has grown from 10% to 45%. Interasia Lines has strategically developed operations in Asia to take advantage of the rapidly growing Indian economy.
Additionally, the company has recently signed a contract for a new 7,000TEU vessel.
This is expected to arrive by the end of 2026 and will further drive Interasia Lines’ growth into Asian and African markets.
Connecting people
Interasia Lines has a global network of offices that help to drive international activity. The company has focused on developing these offices to the same level as its headquarters, with advanced resources and talented employees. Each office has different strengths that relate to its specific market, but Interasia Lines is able to use the specialities of each to operate flexibly and reliably.
“We really focus on incorporating a human aspect to our operations, which our clients really appreciate,” commented Mr Williams. “Something we do is we heavily invest in our offices, making them great places to work
with lots of facilities. This attracts top talent and encourages employee retention, which then creates better service for customers.”
The company has a young workforce, with 70% of employees being under the age of 40. From this, Interasia Lines has access to a wealth of new and future-focused ideas. It also makes the company much more adaptable to evolving global circumstances and advancing technologies, driving innovation and growth. Interasia Lines regularly explores and uses employee ideas in operations.
“As a company, we are not afraid to evolve alongside the market,” added Mr Williams.
“In 2013, we redesigned our branding which includes the tagline ‘Move ahead.’ This really represents our motivations at Interasia Lines, to continuously improve every aspect of the company. This branding helps us externally in terms of strengthening brand awareness, but it also instils a sense of pride in the company.”
Looking forward
With the shipping industry adapting to more sustainable forms of transport, Interasia Lines is identifying and assessing ways in which it can limit its own emissions. Currently, the company is exploring the possibility of implementing dual-fuel vessels and hopes to decarbonise its fleet in the future.
“We have also been creating a more sustainable workplace,” said Mr Lo. “This includes incorporating paperless systems to reduce waste and encouraging employees to engage in energy efficient practices. We collaborate with our suppliers and partners in the industry, initiating conversations around sustainability. Many of our suppliers have worked with us for over 10 years now. We have very good relationships with them and hope to continue growing together into the future.”
Interasia Lines has experienced steady success over the years and plans to continue this by leveraging its core strengths
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INTERASIA LINES I PROFILE
of innovation, experience and customer s ervice. The company will keep exploring new markets that support its current customer base’s needs and invest in new vessels and technologies for more efficient operations. For example, the average age of Interasia Lines’ containers is 3.9 years, which offers better protection for cargo.
“In Taiwan, we already have plans to visit 15 college campuses next year,” continued Mr Lo, in conclusion. “By doing this, we are able to source the best talent to drive our company forward. It’s exciting to see new professionals enter the industry and to work alongside them. They are always eager to learn and collaborate, it is that passion that fosters growth.”
