American President Lines - Key Milestones

Key Milestones

• 1867 – First regular Trans-Pacific steamship service between the U.S., Yokohama and Hong Kong
• 1917 – First direct service between the U.S. and Philippines
• 1961 – Among the first shipping companies to embrace containerization
• 1974 – Launch of first fully containerized ships
• 1979 – First dedicated train service linking port cities with the interior of the U.S.
• 1980 – Introduces the 45-foot container
• 1984 – Pioneers “stacktrain” and container tracing technology
• 1986 – Introduces the 48-foot container in the U.S.
• 1988 – Takes delivery of first post-Panamax ships
• 1989 – Introduces the first 53-foot container for U.S. domestic use
• 1995 – Launches industry’s first website
• 1996 – Pioneers on-line shipment transactions via the Internet
• 1999 – Introduction of HomePort®, the container shipping industry’s first customizable web portal
• 2005 – First shipping company to install real-time container locating system using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
• 2006 – Teamed up with U.S. long-haul trucker, Con-Way, to introduce OceanGuaranteed®, the industry’s first date-definite delivery service for less-than-containerload (LCL) shipments
• 2007 – Ground-breaking service launched connecting Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent with the U.S. via the Suez Canal
• 2009 – OceanGuaranteed® expands to include Mexico
• 2010 – Introduces first tracking service that monitors temperature and humidity of refrigerated containers (reefers)
• 2011 – First container shipping line to use cleaner-burning, low-sulphur gas oil in Singapore