China Shipping newbuild makes maiden call in Durban

CHINA SHIPPING Container Lines (CSCL) is in the process of introducing several newbuilds to the Far East-South Africa- West Africa service (WAX), with the first of these, CSCL Panama, having arrived in Durban at the weekend. The 2 500 teu ship is one of ten vessels deployed on the WAX service which now includes regular Durban calls on the eastbound service as well as the westbound. Several ships have been listed so far on this revised service with others to follow. A second China Shipping newbuild, CSCL Montevideo, is due to make her maiden voyage in September. In a separate development, CSCL’s revamped SEAS service commenced this month between the Far East and East Coast South America, with the departure of the CSCL Kelang from the Far East, returning via South Africa (Durban) on about August 9. The revamped service will continue to deploy ten 2 500 teu vessels but from an eastbound Durban calling point of view, the direct ports of Rio Grande and Itajai in Brazil have been replaced with a call at Sao Fransisco do Sul while Chiwan and Busan in the Far East have been replaced with a direct call at Shekou. The SEAS service is shared between CSCL, French line CMA CGM and Argentine carrier Maruba.