​​​Milestones - 1998


December

• OOCL launches a new Reefer-on-Rail (ROR) service from Xian to Qingdao jointly with China Railway Container Transport Center (CRCTC). This weekly reefer train service is the first of its kind in China and it opens up new markets for temperature-controlled commodities by offering a new gateway from inland China to the rest of the world.

November

• OOCL supports charitable initiative in Belarus by bringing container of necessities and medication to an orphanage for 132 children in Chaussey, Mugliev, Belarus. The supplies include milk powder, pharmaceuticals, books and toys for kids and were donated by the Rotary International to Canadian Aid for Chernobyl who is a charitable organization based in Leeds, Canada providing humanitarian aid to the victims of Chernobyl, the world's worst nuclear disaster.
• OOCL announces further enhancements to its Scan-Baltic Service (SBX) which was launched in April 1998. Two new, ice-class vessels named OOCL Nevskiy and OOCL Neva are introduced to replace the tonnage presently in operation. Furthermore, one additional port of call is introduced to the service - the port of Muuga near Tallinn, the Capitol city of Estonia, following a successful completion of a trial operation there. The new port rotation will be Hamburg, Rotterdam , Blyth, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, St Petersburg , Kotka, Muuga , Aarhus and Hamburg.

September

• OOCL christens the OOCL Belgium, the second ice-strengthened container vessel ordered by the company, following OOCL Canada. The christening ceremony was held at the Okpo Shipyard of Daewoo Heavy Industries on Koje Island, Korea.
• OOCL launches Internet Bill of Lading services in Singapore, as part of a program to establish a global standard for electronic documentation on the Internet. Building on the company's experiences in North American market, the service is now being introduced gradually in Asia, Europe and other countries, together with the company's internet booking, tracking and other interactive customer service features.

July

• OOCL re-enters the Western Mediterranean as it joins the Grand Alliance late January 1998 with the Asia-Med Express Service (MED). The service provides direct ports of call to La Spezia, Barcelona, Fos and Damietta in the Mediterranean and covers Singapore, Hong Kong, Pusan, Kobe, Nagoya and Yokohama in Asia. In addition, OOCL can also service customers with shipments to and from the East Mediterranean with its AEX service.
• In anticipation of the increasing cargo transportation demand between Shanghai, Ningbo and Japan, OOCL redesigns its services for that tradelane effective mid July. Two new direct services between Ningbo and Japan are launched and the existing Shanghai Japan Service (SJS) is modified offering faster and more reliable services to customers in China and Japan.
• OOCL celebrates the official opening of its depot facilities in Qingdao, Qingdao Orient International Container Storage & Transportation Co Ltd (QOCT), a joint venture company between OOCL and Qingdao Port Machinery Plant, a subsidiary of Qingdao Port Authority.
• OOCL announces enhancements to the Scan-Baltic Express service (SBX) launched o 20th April 1998. The weekly fixed day service will now call the UK port of Blyth; make both an eastbound and westbound call at Hamburg; and add a call at Bremerhaven.

May

• OOCL announces the new Laem Chabang service providing a link between Laem Chabang, Kaohsiung and Hong Kong.
• OOCL provides a vital transportation link to the establishment of Shanghai Children's Medical Center (SCMC). It is the Official Container Carrier bringing in over 40 forty-foot containers of the latest medical diagnostic equipment and supplies from the US to Shanghai, China for SCMC.

April

• OOCL launches the new Scan-Baltic Express service. The weekly fixed day service will be calling at Hamburg, Rotterdam, Thames Port, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Aarhus, and back to Hamburg.
• The new Australia-Asia Alliance, comprising eight ships from four of Asia's key shipping lines, formalise their agreement at a signing ceremony in Sydney and the first scheduled service begins on 5 June. The new Alliance comprises Malaysia International Shipping Corporation (MISC); Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL); Pacific International Lines (PIL); and Mitsui OSK Line (MOL) and will offer customers shipping services between South East Asia and Australia under two separate loops with four vessels in each loop.

March

• International Freighting Weekly (IFW) announces OOCL winner of their "Shipping Line of the Year" award for 1998.
• OOCL announces that a new service between North China and Taiwan has recently been launched with the inaugural sailing from Dalian on 12 March 1998.