SAFMARINE ENTER NORTH AMERICA/INDIAN SUBCONTINENT TRADE

SAFMARINE ENTER NORTH AMERICA/INDIAN SUBCONTINENT TRADE    Antwerp-based Safmarine is entering the North America/Indian Subcontinent trade by taking slots on an existing service of National Shipping Co. of Saudi Arabia.
   The slot charter agreement of Safmarine was scheduled to start on April1. The first ship to operate under the arrangement is the “Saudi Hofuf,” which calls at Karachi/Port Qasim on April 2 and then Nhava Sheva/Mumbai on April 4.
   The twice monthly service has a rotation of Baltimore, Houston, New Orleans, Savannah, Wilmington, N.C., Norfolk, New York, Halifax, Jeddah, Dubai, Dammam, Karachi/Port Qasim, Mumbai/Nhava Sheva, Jeddah, Leghorn, New York, Baltimore, Houston, New Orleans, Savannah, Wilmington and Norfolk.
   A spokesperson for Safmarine said that the slot charter deal with NSCSA represents the first time the carrier has operated between North America and Pakistan. Previously, Safmarine tried to serve the North America/India by way of an informal arrangement with China Ocean Shipping Co.
   Safmarine’s entry into the trade follows that of Contship, CMA CGM and Shipping Corp. of India, three carriers who started a joint “Indamex” service in early March.
   The transit times of the new direct services are available from the free global shipping database ComPairSchedules at https://www.compairschedules.com.