Global car manufacturing giant, BMW has appointed Southampton docks-based Auto shipping (ASL) to be their UK port service provider.

As part of a drive to streamline the worldwide deep-sea exporting activities for the new Mini car, ASL will operate essentially as BMW Group's port representative to ensure the smooth export operation of the vehicle from the UK port of departure to the overseas market.

The major overseas markets for the new Mini are the USA and Japan, with the port of Southampton as the major export gateway.

Marcus Herbath, ASL's project manager, said: "This is great news for Auto Shipping and for Southampton.

"BMW can benefit from our expertise and experience and by using third-party logistics specialists such as ourselves, with planning, information technology and logistics expertise, manufacturers can benefit from cost savings and increased efficiency of service.''

ASL will manage most of the export processes on behalf of BMW Group. This will include making bookings with shipping lines, collating and distributing export documentation and managing the vehicle-tracking process through UK ports of export.

ASL will send information via a specially developed computer network link into the BMW Group's central computer system, resulting in the ability to track individual vehicles through the logistics chain.

The Southampton company, a division of Amports UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Associated British Ports, also caters for the specialist freight requirements of a range of commodities, notably steel and steel fabrications.