CMA CGM, MARFRET AND MAERSK TO MERGE NORTH EUROPE/WEST INDIES SERVICES

CMA CGM, MARFRET AND MAERSK TO MERGE NORTH EUROPE/WEST INDIES SERVICES

CMA CGM, MARFRET AND MAERSK TO MERGE NORTH EUROPE/WEST INDIES SERVICES

   CMA CGM, Marfret and Maersk Sealand will merge their container services in January in the small trade between northern Europe and the French West Indies.
   Maersk Sealand will end its separate service and take space on the existing service of CMA CGM and Marfret, with effect from January.
   The service will utilize CMA CGM’s four 1,600-TEU specialized ships, designed to carry bananas in reefer containers from the West Indies.
   The Maersk Sealand service to be ended employs vessels of about 1,000-TEU capacity.
   CMA CGM said that the joint weekly service will have a rotation of Dunkirk, Felixstowe, Rouen, Le Havre, Montoir, Fort-de-France, Pointe-a-Pitre and Dunkirk.
   The agreement between the three shipping lines is for a period of two years.
   CMA CGM said that the carriers are studying the possibility of replaced the current porthole refrigerated container vessels by ships that carry integral reefer containers.
   CMA CGM, Maersk Sealand, Marfret and Nordana Line announced recently a similar agreement to merge their services in the Mediterranean/West Indies trade.