The largest independent carrier in intra-Asia routes, founded in 1965, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, with a fleet capacity of approximately 500,000 TEU, ranked 11th globally, operating independently, known for its dense route network in Southeast Asia and South Asia, with a flexible and efficient medium-sized fleet.
Basic Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| English Name | Wan Hai Lines Ltd. |
| SCAC Code | WHLC |
| Headquarters | Taipei, Taiwan, China |
| Founded | 1965 |
| Shipping Alliance | Independent |
| Fleet Capacity | Approximately 500,000 TEU (Alphaliner 2025) |
| Global Rank | 11th |
| Number of Vessels | Approximately 120 (owned + leased) |
Company Overview
Wan Hai Lines was founded in 1965, initially starting with general cargo shipping between Taiwan, Japan, and Southeast Asia. After nearly sixty years of development, it has gradually transformed into a global shipping company with container shipping as its core business. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, Wan Hai Lines is one of the three major shipping companies in Taiwan (alongside Evergreen and Yang Ming) and the only carrier among the global top ten that primarily focuses on intra-Asia routes.
Wan Hai's route network is centered on Asia and radiates outward. Its route density and sailing frequency within Asia are among the highest in the industry, especially covering Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines) and South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh) with a dense network. In recent years, Wan Hai has actively expanded its long-haul routes, successively launching transpacific and Asia-South America services, transitioning from a purely intra-Asia operator to a global network. Wan Hai's fleet primarily consists of medium-sized vessels between 1,800 TEU and 3,000 TEU, which gives it greater flexibility in port selection, allowing calls at more medium-sized and feeder ports, thus providing customers with broader service coverage. Wan Hai adheres to an independent operating strategy and does not join any shipping alliances.
Main Route Network
| Route | Typical Port Rotation | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Intra-Asia - Southeast Asia | Shanghai—Ningbo—Xiamen—Shekou—Hong Kong—Ho Chi Minh—Laem Chabang—Bangkok | Weekly |
| Intra-Asia - India/Pakistan | Shanghai—Ningbo—Shenzhen—Singapore—Port Klang—Colombo—Nhava Sheva—Mundra | Weekly |
| Intra-Asia - Northeast Asia | Qingdao—Dalian—Busan—Gwangyang—Tokyo—Yokohama—Osaka | Weekly |
| Transpacific | Yantian—Ningbo—Shanghai—Los Angeles—Oakland | Weekly |
| Asia - South America West Coast | Shanghai—Ningbo—Shekou—Singapore—Manzanillo—Callao—San Antonio | Weekly |
| Taiwan - Hong Kong - South China Shuttle | Kaohsiung—Taichung—Keelung—Hong Kong—Shekou—Yantian | Daily |
Ports of Call in China
Wan Hai Lines' port coverage in mainland China mainly focuses on coastal hub ports and important feeder ports:
- East China: Shanghai, Ningbo, Lianyungang
- South China: Shenzhen (Yantian/Shekou/Chiwan), Guangzhou (Nansha), Xiamen, Fuzhou
- North China: Tianjin, Qingdao, Dalian
- Yangtze River Region: Connected via inland feeders to Taicang, Nanjing, and other ports
Operational Notes
- Booking Method: Submit booking requests to Wan Hai Lines through Bofeng Logistics
- Bill of Lading Issuance: Wan Hai issues Master Bill of Lading (MBL), supports telex release
- Container Tracking: Bofeng Logistics provides cargo status information to customers via Wan Hai's tracking system
- Special Cargo: Wan Hai has a wide acceptance range for DG on Southeast Asia routes; reefer containers require advance space confirmation
- Seasonal Factors: Peak season on Wan Hai's intra-Asia routes is influenced by traditional Asian festivals and manufacturing shipment cycles. Typically, before and after Chinese New Year, as well as mid-year and year-end, are peak shipping periods. The global ocean peak season from July to October also extends to Wan Hai's transpacific and South American routes
- Transit Time Reference: South China to major Southeast Asian ports: approximately 3-7 days; South China to Northeast Asia: approximately 3-8 days; South China to India/Pakistan: approximately 10-14 days; South China to US West Coast: approximately 18-22 days; South China to South America West Coast: approximately 28-35 days. Wan Hai has extremely high frequency on intra-Asia routes, with some routes offering two or even three sailings per week
- Restrictions: Wan Hai mainly operates medium-sized vessels with limited per-ship capacity; large-volume bulk cargo may need to be shipped in batches; Wan Hai's capacity on long-haul transpacific and European routes is relatively small, and space fills up early during peak season; Wan Hai's route coverage in emerging markets such as Africa and the Middle East is limited
Bofeng Logistics Services
As a first-tier freight forwarder cooperating with Wan Hai Lines, Bofeng Logistics fully leverages Wan Hai's unique advantages—the world's densest short-sea network composed of 81 intra-Asia routes and direct calls at small and medium-sized ports without transshipment—to provide Asian trade enterprises with unparalleled flexibility and coverage:
- Relying on Wan Hai's high-frequency route density in Asia (full coverage of Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and South Asia), Bofeng Logistics can offer direct access to numerous second-tier ports that traditional carriers require transshipment to reach. This is especially suitable for decentralized supply chain layouts in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and India
- With Wan Hai's flexible fleet dominated by 3,000 TEU-class medium-sized vessels, Bofeng Logistics helps customers overcome the pain points of limited space and sparse schedules at small and medium ports, providing "door-to-door" direct services from South China to various ports in Southeast Asia, reducing transshipment time and cargo damage risk
- For exports from ports in the Pearl River Delta, Bofeng Logistics offers one-stop services including trucking, container pickup, export customs clearance, and cargo insurance. Combined with Wan Hai's high-frequency sailings, it provides the fastest next-day departure options for intra-Asia short-sea cargo
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What advantages does Wan Hai Lines have in intra-Asia routes? Wan Hai Lines is the largest independent carrier in intra-Asia routes, with the highest route density and sailing frequency in the Asian short-sea market. Wan Hai operates over 81 routes in Asia, covering an extensive port network in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines) and South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh). Its fleet primarily consists of medium-sized vessels between 1,800 TEU and 3,000 TEU, allowing it to call at more small and medium-sized ports and feeder ports, offering "point-to-point" direct services that are difficult for other large carriers to achieve, reducing transshipment time and cargo damage risk.
Q2: Why doesn't Wan Hai join an alliance? Wan Hai adheres to an independent operating strategy similar to MSC, but for different reasons. Wan Hai's core market is intra-Asia short-sea routes, where route density and schedule flexibility are far more critical than sheer capacity scale. Joining an alliance could expand long-haul route coverage but may sacrifice the flexibility of independent decision-making and focus on the intra-Asia market. Independent operation allows Wan Hai to quickly adjust capacity allocation based on market changes—adding vessels flexibly during peak seasons and optimizing routes during off-peak periods—a flexibility that alliance members find hard to replicate.
Q3: What type of shippers is Wan Hai suitable for? Wan Hai is especially suitable for enterprises with intensive trade within Asia (especially Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Northeast Asia). Its high-density route network can directly reach many second-tier ports that traditional carriers require transshipment to access, making it particularly suitable for manufacturing companies with supply chains spread across multiple Asian countries. Wan Hai's medium-sized fleet offers flexible operations at small and medium ports, enabling "door-to-door" direct delivery from South China to Southeast Asia, reducing transshipment time and cargo damage. Additionally, Wan Hai provides stable services on transpacific and Asia-South America routes, suitable for customers whose cargo expands from short-sea to long-haul.
Practical Experience
In our operations with Wan Hai, Bofeng Logistics has most deeply felt its direct access advantage at small and medium ports in Asia. Taking the Vietnam market as an example, Wan Hai not only covers major ports like Ho Chi Minh City and Haiphong but also directly serves second-tier ports such as Da Nang and Quy Nhon—something many large carriers find difficult. We have a customer with multiple factories in different Vietnamese provinces; Wan Hai's high-frequency direct services allow them to flexibly arrange shipment schedules without worrying about the hassle of transshipment connections.
The network scheduling of Wan Hai's 81 routes is highly efficient in practice. When shipping Southeast Asian cargo from South China ports, we typically complete transport within 3-7 days, and there is a rich selection of sailing schedules—some popular routes even have 2-3 sailings per week. We recommend customers prioritize checking Wan Hai's schedules when arranging Southeast Asian shipments, as they often reveal faster transport options than expected.
Special attention is needed for space allocation during the Southeast Asian peak season. The manufacturing peak season in Southeast Asia usually falls between March-May and August-October each year, during which Wan Hai's space becomes very tight. Our experience is that long-term contract customers can reserve annual contract space in advance, while ad-hoc shippers need to confirm space at least two weeks ahead. Additionally, although Wan Hai's medium-sized vessels are flexible, per-vessel capacity is limited; large-volume cargo is recommended to be shipped in batches or combined with other carriers to ensure smooth execution of the shipping plan.
Selection Recommendation
For: Manufacturing enterprises with decentralized supply chains across multiple countries in Asia (Southeast Asia, South Asia, Northeast Asia), or small-to-medium volume export customers needing direct connections from South China to second-tier Asian ports. Recommendation: Wan Hai Lines, with its densest short-sea network of 81 intra-Asia routes, the flexibility of its medium-sized fleet directly calling at small and medium ports, and the autonomy of its independent operation strategy, offers route coverage breadth and sailing frequency advantages for Asian regional trade that traditional large carriers find hard to match.
Contact Us
- Shipping Company Website: https://www.wanhai.com
- Bofeng Logistics Wan Hai Booking Hotline: 130-7567-8958
- Email: info@zhbfwl.com