CMA CGM, CSAV to cooperate on transatlantic

CMA CGM, CSAV to cooperate on transatlantic    CMA CGM and CSAV will from October cooperate on a service linking northern Europe with U.S. South Atlantic and Gulf ports.
   For CMA CGM, the service will replace the Victory Bridge loop, a service it has provided in partnership with Mediterranean Shipping Co. The new rotation will be scaled back, with calls at Savannah, New Orleans, Freeport and Felixstowe on the current service being omitted and Miami added. The French line said Savannah and Felixstowe will be served by other loops.
   For CSAV, the service represents an opening in the transatlantic. Its only current connection between Europe and North America is through the company's affiliate CSAV Norasia, which buys slots on Evergreen's butterfly UAM service (which connects Med ports to the U.S. West Coast).
   The new rotation for the revised Victory Bridge, which CSAV will market as its SAMEX service, beginning Oct. 10, will be Le Havre, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Charleston, Miami, Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, Miami and Le Havre.
   The service will operate with five 3,000-TEU vessels, three provided by CMA CGM and two by CSAV.
   The current Victory Bridge, which MSC calls its South Atlantic service, is operated with six 6,700-TEU MSC ships and one 5,700-TEU CMA CGM ships.