Horizon Lines is to launch a high-speed transpacific liner service between Asia and the US west coast to take advantage of the shortage of capacity and increased transit times of other services caused by slow-steaming.

The weekly service will launch in December, using the company's five 2,824teu-capacity, 23-knot, Hunter-class containerships that currently call at Guam and continue on to China as part of a space-charter agreement with Maersk Line.