CONTSHIP RELEASES START-UP DATES OF ASIA/EUROPE SERVICES

CONTSHIP RELEASES START-UP DATES OF ASIA/EUROPE SERVICES    Contship Containerline Thursday announced the launch dates of its fixed-day weekly services between Asia and Europe, in which the CP Ships subsidiary will take slots from CMA CGM.
   The first westbound sailings on the services will be the Villa De Tania, from Shanghai on March 5, and the Mare Africum, from Qingdao on March 3. Eastbound the Saudi Jeddah will leave Le Havre on March 5 and the Cap San Nicholas will leave Hamburg on March 10.
   One service deploys nine ships of about 4,000 TEUs, but will in July start deploying the first of eight 6,500-TEU newbuildings. The service will have a rotation of Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Zeebrugge, Southampton, Malta, Damietta, Jeddah, Khor Fakkan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Jeddah, Malta and Le Havre.
   The other service deploys 10 ships of 2,000 to 3,500 TEUs on a rotation of Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Port Kelang, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Dalian, Inchon, Pusan, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Damietta, Malta and Hamburg.
   Contship and CMA CGM already work together in trades including Europe/Mideast/South Asia, Indian Subcontinent/North America, Southeast Asia/Indian Subcontinent/Arabian Gulf; and a round-the-world service.
   The initial agreement between Contship and CMA CGM “covers a two-year period. However, we have a clear understanding that this is the start of a long-term relationship with the opportunity to explore other joint initiatives,” said David Halliday, chief executive officer of Contship.