Grimaldi adds ship, splits Central Express

   Grimaldi Lines, the roll-on/roll-off and container liner shipping specialist, will add an eighth ship to its North Europe-West Africa Central Express service and dividing its schedule into two four-ship sub-loops. 
   The previous seven-ship, 35-day roundtip voyage time will improve to 32 days for both of the more streamlined four-ship sub-schedules.
   In place of the seven-ship, five-day frequency loop calling Amsterdam, Hamburg, Tilbury, Antwerp, Cotonou, Lagos, Tema, Abijan and Amsterdam, there will be two four-ship eight-day frequency sub-loops. One with vessels averaging 1,163 TEUs will call Hamburg, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Lagos, Lome, Abidjan, and Hamburg, while the other, averaging 1,332 TEUs, will call Hamburg, Tilbury, Antwerp, Cotounou, Lagos, Tema, and Hamburg.  
   In Europe, the new arrangement will mean that instead of all ports being called every five days, Hamburg and Antwerp are called by both loops every four days and Tilbury and Amsterdam by alternate loops every eight days. In West Africa, Lagos will be called every four days by both loops while Lome, Abidjan, Cotonou and Tema at eight days, are called only once. — ComPair Data, Krista LaRocca