Maersk, CMA CGM merge South America/Caribbean loops

Maersk, CMA CGM merge South America/Caribbean loops       Maersk Line and CMA CGM are merging two East Coast South America/ Caribbean strings into one combined service starting Sept. 20.
      The service, which Maersk calls NCX and CMA CGM calls Brazex, will be operated with eight vessels averaging 2,800 TEUs in size. Each carrier will provide four vessels. Maersk operates its NCX service with five vessels averaging 1,288 TEUs, according to ComPair Data. CMA operates its Brazex service, on which Maruba Lines is a slot buyer, with five vessels averaging 1,681 TEUs.
      The rotation of the merged service combines elements of both existing loops. Maersk's service is strong on East Coast South America calls while the CMA CGM service is heavy on Caribbean calls.
      The new rotation is Buenos Aires, Zarate, Montevideo, Rio Grande, Itajai, Paranagua, Santos, Port of Spain, Cartagena, Manzanillo, Kingston, Puerto Cabello, Point Lisas, Vitoria, Santos and Buenos Aires.
      Deleted are Maersk calls at Willemstad, Antilles, and Guanta, Venezuela, and CMA CGM calls at the Brazilian ports of Sao Francisco do Sul, Suape, and the Venezuelan port of La Guaira.
      'This new (vessel sharing agreement) allows CMA CGM to further improve the quality of its service between the East Coast of South America and the Caribbean, Central America region,' said Laurent Falgui're, vice president, Caribbean and Latin America lines, CMA CGM Group. 'CMA CGM is now offering a wider range of ports and connections through its hub ports of Kingston, Port of Spain, Cartagena and now Panama.'