CMA CGM launches North Europe - US Gulf trade with MSC

CMA CGM announced the continuity of its service from North Europe to South Atlantic, Mexico and the US Golf by joining the MSC loop as a vessel operator on their service, effective as of the end of September, 2009.

This service was previously operated with 5 vessels of 3,000 TEU in cooperation with Evergreen and China Shipping who decided to withdraw from the trade.

The new joint service between CMA CGM and MSC, named NEW VICTORY BRIDGE by CMA CGM, will operate with 7 vessels of 5,700/6,000 TEU.

The new rotation will be as follows:
Antwerp - Felixstowe - Bremerhaven - Le Havre - Charleston - Savannah - Freeport - Vera Cruz - Altamira - Houston - New Orleans - Freeport - Savannah - Charleston - Antwerp

The responsibility of the shipping industry is to be as close as possible to worldwide market dynamics; in specific trades when we do identify an imbalance between supply and demand, it is a must to react accordingly to better serve our customers.

For CMA CGM, South Atlantic, US Gulf and Mexico are 3 major trades in which the group heavily invested in the past few years (tonnage, terminals, network…), our presence is strong and appreciated by customers, this new venture is a milestone in this trade lane?explained Jean Philippe Thenoz, Vice President North America Lines, CMA CGM Group.

This adjustment of slots reflects operators?efforts to match the market demand which has been down by over 20% since the beginning of 2009 on the Transatlantic sector in general.<Korea Shipping Gazette>