CMA CGM drops Black Pearl again

   The liner shipping company CMA CGM is ending its Black Pearl service, which just began again in January.
   The Black Pearl was resurrected when CMA CGM joined Mediterranean Shipping Co.’s service, chartering slots between the U.S. East Coast and West Coast South America beginning Jan. 14 in Philadelphia. At that time the service operated with seven MSC vessels with an average capacity of 4,146 TEUs.
   In late February MSC’s service dropped the South America portion of the rotation, which included Callao, Arica, Coronel and Valparaiso. Also, it decreased from seven to three vessels and from 49 to 21 days roundtrip, effectively becoming a U.S. East Coast feeder to MSC’s hub at Cristobal. The average weekly capacity dropped to 3,794 TEUs.
   CMA CGM continued to take slots northbound throughout March, but from now on the loop will be marketed solely by MSC. The current port rotation is Philadelphia, New York, Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Freeport, Cristobal and Philadelphia.
   MSC still offers connection from the U.S. East Coast to West Coast South America, via its North Europe-WCSA service with transshipment at Cristobal. — ComPair Data, Kathleen Tyson