PACIFIC International Lines (PIL) has started making port of calls at the Dongguan Container Terminal (DCT) in China's southern Guangdong province, marking the launch of international container shipping services at the terminal which opened in November 2008.

The development comes after the Singapore-based carrier added a call at Dongguan to its weekly China-Taiwan-South East Asia service that uses two 1,550-TEU vessels, reports an AXS-Alphaliner weekly newsletter.

The expanded port rotation for the PIL service is: Singapore, Hong Kong, Huangpu (Guangzhou), Kaohsiung, Taichung, Keelung, Dongguan, Nansha, returning to Singapore.

Singapore's PSA International owns a 20 per cent stake in DCT and the remaining 80 per cent interest in the terminal is owned by the Dongguan Humen port.

The terminal has an alongside draft of 13 metres and is equipped with two berths that are capable of handling container ships of up to 6,000 TEU along a total quay length of 678 metres. Its annual handling capacity is 950,000 TEU.

The report added that the terminal has not been able to attract any international mainline calls until now owing to "intense competition" from neighbouring ports in Hong Kong, Guangzhou (Nansha), Shenzhen (Yantian, Shekou, Chiwan and Dachan Bay) located downstream and the two Huangpu terminals at Guangzhou