Europe Pakistan India Consortium set for change
German carriers Hapag-Lloyd and Hamburg S'd are set to go it alone in the Europe/Middle East/India trade from early May when their Europe Pakistan India Consortium (EPIC) agreement with French line CMA CGM will be terminated.
According to a joint release, the two Hamburg-based carriers will deploy six 4,000-TEU vessels (Four from Hapag-Lloyd and two Hamburg S'd units), with each ship having a capacity of 400 reefer plugs. The final port rotation of the new weekly service is expected to follow soon.
The EPIC agreement between the two German lines and CMA CGM, including its affiliates ANL and MacAndrews, covers two weekly loops:
' EPIC 1, using three CMA CGM vessels (two of 4,250 TEUs and one of 4,043 TEUs) and another three from Hapag-Lloyd (all 4,250 TEUs) calling Tilbury, Hamburg, Antwerp, Malta, Port Said, Jebel Ali, Mundra, Nhava Sheva, Damietta, Malta and Tilbury.
' EPIC 2, deploying four CMA CGM ships of about 2,825 TEUs and one each from Hapag-Lloyd (3,607 TEUs) and Hamburg Sud (2,982 TEUs) on a rotation of Le Havre, Rotterdam, Tilbury, Hamburg, Alexandria, Karachi, Mundra, Nhava Sheva and back to Le Havre.
CMA CGM couldn’t be reached in time for confirmation of its plans when the current EPIC agreement ends, although a spokesperson from Hamburg S'd said negotiations are being held with the French line about its future participation.