New Far East service begins in May

ALAN PEAT NEWS HAS broken about the proposed follow-up arrangements after shipping lines CMA-CGM and CSAV split up their current Far East-SA-East Coast South America (ECSA) joint service on May 1. According to information in the Dyna Liner shipping report, forwarded to FTW by a reader, CMA-CGM is to be joined by China Shipping and Maruba to form a consortium serving the trade. In a fleet of 10 ships of an average 2 400-TEU capacity, CMA-CGM is to supply five vessels, China Shipping three and Maruba two – in a service due to be launched in May. The provisional port rotation published in the article is: Shanghai, Busan, Ningbo, Shenzhen (Chiwan), Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Durban, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Rio Grande. It is added that China Shipping is to start its own second, standalone service on the Far East-Brazil route, also around To page 20 From page 1 May, and with an initial fortnightly frequency reported. Also using 10 ships – again expected to be about 2 500-TEU capacity – the port rotation is slightly different from the consortium schedule, with calls due at: Shanghai, Ningbo, Keelung, Hong Kong, Shenzhen (Chiwan), Singapore, Port Kelang, Jakarta, Durban, Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua and Rio Grande. It is a totally new trade for China Shipping, although Maruba of Argentina is reported to have activities in both the Far East and African areas - but no direct link along the three continent trade. FTW approached Pam Yerushalmy, CMA-CGM’s SA GM, but – on instruction from head office – she regretted her reply had to be: “No comment”.