MSC, CMA CGM compete with direct Black Sea/East Med/Asia services

MSC, CMA CGM compete with direct Black Sea/East Med/Asia services    Mediterranean Shipping Co. is launching a new eight-ship direct service connecting Asia with the Black Sea and the East Mediterranean region, while CMA CGM prepares to announce a competing, similar operation in the same direct trade.
   Mediterranean Shipping’s “Tiger Service” will commence with the Oct. 7 sailing from Shanghai of the “MSC Denise,” a 1,416-TEU ship. The port rotation of the new service will be Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Istanbul, Illychevsk, Constantza, Izmir, Jeddah, Singapore and Shanghai.
   Until now, Mediterranean Shipping, CMA CGM and other Asia/Europe container carriers have served the Asia/Black Sea/East Mediterranean trade by feeder services.
   Mediterranean Shipping’s “Tiger Service” will complement its existing “Silk” and “Dragon” services in the Asia – north Europe and Mediterranean trades.
   “This is a logical service improvement to our service network from the Far East to the important markets of the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean, where we are already participating currently through transhipment services,” said Caroline Becquart, Mediterranean Shipping’s trade manager responsible for the Far East.
   CMA CGM is expected to announce the details of its Asia/East Mediterranean container service in the next few days.