CMA CGM AND KIEN HUNG TO LAUNCH ASIA/U.S. EAST COAST ALL-WATER SERVICE

   CMA CGM of France and Kien Hung of Taiwan will launch a new joint transpacific service, direct to the U.S. East Coast via Panama.
   Subject to approval by the Federal Maritime Commission in the U.S. and China’s Ministry Of Communications, it is hoped to begin the service in April.
   In their first venture together, and Kien Hung’s first substantive foray into North America, the partners plan to serve ports in Asia. The rotation is Pusan, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong and Keelung, Cristobal (Panama), then Kingston (Jamaica), New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Kingston again, and Balboa (Panama) westbound, before returning to Asia.
   In order to maintain a weekly all-water service turning in New York, the partners will deploy a fleet of nine vessels of around 2,500-TEU each.
   This is CMA CGM’s second new transpacific link in less than a year. Last May it extended its weekly Europe/Asia service into a pendulum reaching West Coast U.S. ports, using vessels of just under 2,000-TEU.
   Kien Hung has mainly operated in the Asia to South Africa/South America trade, also briefly entering the South Africa/Europe trade as well. Early last year it began a fortnightly Asia/West Coast South America service calling, southbound-only, in Los Angeles.