French line expands market share

JOY ORLEK
UNDERSCORING ITS commitment to the South African trade, French line CMA CGM recently established its own agency representation, CMA CGM Shipping Agencies SA, a joint venture between the line and the Grindrod Group.
While general manager Pam Yerushalmy based in Johannesburgheads up the agency inSouth Africa, Garreth Stewartmanages the Durban branch.
Ranked at position 5 in the top 10 global carriers, the French line’s global growth is mirrored in the expansion of its SA market share, says Yerushalmy, with a network of options covering key trade markets.
In 2001 the line launched a liner service in both directions between Asia, South America and West Africa, creating global cross-trade possibilities for SA importers and exporters.
The WAX service offers three sailings a
month between Asia and West Africa, with a direct call at Durban, deploying five group-operated vessels in a ship-sharing agreement.
The Asia service offers a weekly sailing from Asia to Durban and westbound onto the East Coast of South America.
“A global cross-trade service in a slot arrangement with two designated European carriers to and from South Africa offers SA shippers a range of options in the less traditional markets,” said Yerushalmy.
ISS Voigt are sub-agents for the line in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.