Evergreen, CMA-CGM start new Red Sea service

   Liner carriers Evergreen and CMA CGM are starting a new, weekly service connecting Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea.
   Called the South Red Sea Service (SRS2) by Evergreen and REX 3 Service by CMA CGM, it will employ five 2,200-TEU ships, with Evergreen supplying three and CMA CGM two.
   The first sailing is planned to depart from Tanjung Pelepas on May 2 and will have the following port rotation: Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo, Djibouti, Aden (Yemen), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Port Sudan (Sudan), Djibouti, Colombo, Port Klang, and Tanjung Pelepas.
   In addition to strengthening the service network in the Red Sea, Evergreen said the service will allow it to further expand its port coverage in the East African market following the inauguration of its ISC-Mauritius-Mozambique-Africa Service which was launched earlier this month.
   Stéphane Courquin, vice president at CMA CGM, said “With the launching of the new REX 3 service which complements its existing offer, CMA CGM confirms its intention to meet its customers expectation through the provision of ever more reliable services as well as to contribute to the development of Red Sea markets.” – Chris Dupin