Laredo, Texas, 6 Aug, 2009: The world's first guaranteed service for containerized trade is moving into Mexico, extending the reach of day-definite delivery to shippers throughout North America.

APL Logistics and Con-way Freight said today their OceanGuaranteed® service for less-than-container load (LCL) cargo from Asia will now reach all major metropolitan markets in Mexico. It's the biggest expansion yet of the 3-year-old program that combines ocean and truck transportation to deliver cargo to a customer’s store door.

"We're already serving most of the continent with day-definite service," said APL Logistics President Jim McAdam. "We're pleased that we can now extend OceanGuaranteed® throughout North America by incorporating the very important Mexican market."

OceanGuaranteed® debuted in 2006 as a China-to-U.S. service. It expanded last year into Canada. With the addition of Mexico, origin ports in Asia are now connected for the first time to every major North American market via day-definite delivery.

Day-definite means that cargo arrives on a date agreed to by the shipper and carrier. If it doesn't, the shipper is refunded a portion of the transportation fee.

"OceanGuaranteed® has proven to be very popular with shippers in the U.S. and Canada who need a high degree of assurance that cargo will arrive when they need it," said John Labrie, President of Con-way Freight. "We're confident it will prove equally popular with Mexican shippers who need reliability at favorable rates."

APL Logistics, a leading supply chain management company; and Con-way Freight, one of the top less-than-truckload (LTL) trucking companies in the U.S.; launched OceanGuaranteed® to compete with highly reliable but expensive air freight carriers. The service is not only the first of its kind; it’s up to 60% less expensive than air freight.

OceanGuaranteed® cargo moves from Asia on vessels operated by APL, the world’s seventh largest container carrier. Con-way Freight then transports shipments to final destinations.

Because the ships, trucks and terminals in the OceanGuaranteed® network are owned by one of the two partners or their affiliates, they can provide expedited service. That includes late-gate privileges at origin ports and first-off priority at the Port of Los Angeles where the vessels arrive. OceanGuaranteed®’s on-time performance record is better than 98%.

For its new Mexico service, OceanGuaranteed® cargo will be transported on dedicated Con-way Freight trucks from Los Angeles to Laredo, Texas. From there cargo will cross the border to Mexico with delivery via a Con-way Freight affiliate to the final destination.

Media Enquiries:

Mike Zampa
Telephone: 510 272 7380
michael_zampa@apl.com

Belinda Donovan/Amber Caouette
KG Partners for Con-way Freight
bdonovan@kgmoment.com
acaouette@kgmoment.com

About APL Logistics
APL Logistics provides international, end-to-end logistics services for global customers employing the latest IT and data connectivity for maximum supply-chain visibility and control. APL Logistics is a unit of Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines, a global shipping, terminals and logistics company. APL Logistics Web site: www.apllogistics.com

About Con-way Freight
Con-way Freight is the industry’s leading less-than-truckload (LTL) freight transportation company, providing guaranteed, day-definite regional and transcontinental service through a single, unified network of more than 300 service centers in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Based in Ann Arbor, Mich., Con-way Freight offers LTL freight delivery across North America, as well as delivery in the United States for international less-than-container (LCL) ocean shipments from Asia through its OceanGuaranteed® service; and expedited U.S. delivery for inbound international cargoes from Europe through an exclusive alliance with TNT. Con-way Freight is a certified FAST highway carrier and is ISO 9001- and 14001-, C-TPAT/PIP, ACE- and CSA-certified.  Con-way Freight is a subsidiary of Con-way Inc. (NYSE: CNW), a $5 billion diversified freight transportation and logistics services company. For more information, visit https://www.con-way.com/en/freight.