UPS Trade Direct comes to Japan

United Parcel Service Inc. has begun its first inbound Trade Direct service in Asia.The Atlanta-based package shipper has debuted its UPS Trade Direct service inbound to Japan, making the service available from 50 origin countries in North America, Europe and Asia. The Japan service is the first Trade Direct inbound lane to be opened in Asia by UPS.

UPS Trade Direct is an international freight service that combines air or ocean freight transportation and customs clearance with package and less-than-truckload service for final delivery. UPS said the service offers faster transit and the ability to bypass traditional warehouses and distribution centers because shipments can go directly from airplane or ship into the local UPS delivery network. UPS introduced the service in 2002.

Trade Direct Air will serve the inbound Japanese market through Osaka and Tokyo, where UPS has daily flights from Anchorage, Alaska; Shanghai, and the UPS Asia Pacific air hub in the Philippines. Trade Direct Ocean will flow through the ports of Kobe and Tokyo. Within Asia, Trade Direct Air will be available from 25 air gateways across 12 countries and Trade Direct Ocean will be available from 27 ocean ports in 11 countries.