European giants collaborate on transpacific

European giants collaborate on transpacific    Mediterranean Shipping Co., Maersk Line and CMA CGM said Wednesday they will jointly operate a transpacific loop starting July 10.
   The service, dubbed Eagle by MSC and Yang Tse by CMA CGM, will have a rotation of Xiamen, Shanghai, Qingdao, Long Beach, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong and Xiamen.
   It will be operated with six vessels — three from MSC, two from Maersk and one from CMA CGM. The Shanghai stop is the Wai Gao Qiao terminal, not at the deep sea Yangshan terminal.
   'The Yang Tse service allows CMA CGM to enhance its port coverage and further develop its capacity on the transpacific market in response to the expanding eastbound trade while meeting growing demand from the American exporters towards south China and Taiwan thanks to direct connections to Kaohsiung and Hong Kong,' said Jean-Philippe Th'noz, CMA CGM vice president of North America lines.
   MSC said the service will 'cover the strong market demand up to and including the imminent peak season.'
   The carriers have collaborated in vessel sharing and operational agreements on the transpacific the past three years.