On 19 October 2008, YICT welcomed the maiden vessel call of the "APL Denmark" deployed by The New World Alliance (TNWA, comprising APL, HMM and MOL) to its South Asia Express (SAX) Service. By taking this service, it will take only 13 days for cargo shipments from Yantian to reach San Pedro, California in the US.
A total of six 5,250-TEU vessels have been deployed to the SAX service, which will call at Yantian every Sunday and follow a port rotation of Singapore, Yantian, Chiwan, San Pedro, Kaohsiung and Chiwan. As one of the major loading ports along this service route, Yantian is able to provide more choices for exporters to ship cargo via Yantian to the US West Coast.