Port of Townsville welcomes new fortnightly shipping service

The Port of Townsville is continuing to support its customers and meet the region’s fast-growing import and export demands, welcoming a new fortnightly shipping service by ANL, linking North Queensland to China.

The new service, APR2, will be transporting a variety of goods including machinery, chemicals, tyres, furniture and white goods.

The route includes travelling southbound from Asia to Australia, before leaving to travel north from Australia, back to Asia.

The ARP2 service provides direct coastal shipping options from southern ports, significantly reducing wait times for customers and improving driver safety by redirecting freight off the Bruce Highway and on to the ‘Blue’ highway.

Port of Townsville General Manager Business Development Drew Penny said the Port was pleased to welcome ANL’s new shipping service to North Queensland.

“It’s promising to see new services, such as APR2, come on board to our Port, especially with the region experiencing growth in a number of sectors,” Mr Penny said.

“As Northern Australia’s largest multi-cargo port we’re always looking for opportunities to work with new companies, especially those that can assist us with servicing the ever-evolving needs of our customers.

“We may be a regional city, but we service the needs of global importers and exporters, now more than ever we need to ensure we are able support that demand, with services such as APR2.”

With the addition of ANL’s new fortnightly service, the company will now offer weekly services to and from Townsville and North/Southeast Asia.

This development also enables North Queensland businesses to access more frequent shipping direct to China.

ANL & CMA CGM Group Agencies Managing Director Oceania Cluster Shane Walden said the APR2 service is tailored for regional supply chains that depend on efficient and timely logistics.

"With APR2, we’re responding directly to what our customers need—more frequent sailings, stronger China and Northeast Asia connections, and greater flexibility across key Queensland ports including Townsville, Gladstone, and Brisbane,” Mr Walden said.

“This service is designed for today’s supply chain realities, offering improved access to CMA CGM’s global network and reliable transit options that support both imports and exports across the region."

By expanding regional connectivity and transit efficiency, APR2 reflects ANL’s ongoing commitment to delivering innovative and resilient logistics solutions across Asia, PNG, and Australia.

Whether transporting essential imports or vital exports, this new service supports faster, smarter cargo movement.

The second vessel of the service Mount Wilhelm will depart Townsville Port tomorrow, and follows the successful maiden voyage of the service, San Giorgio on Monday, 20 October.