CMA CGM, Delmas, Maersk, Safmarine re-order China-Mideast-Africa loops

CMA CGM and its Delmas unit will launch a new weekly service on the Asia-Africa route, the New Africa Express (AFEX) service, to create a direct link from Asia to Ghana on July 24 as the "second largest market in West Africa", the Marseille-based shipping line announced.

Maersk and its Safmarine unit have revamped their FEW3 service connecting China with West Africa, and the CMA CGM group has joined this operation as a vessel provider.

The new AFEX service is to be dedicated to south Asian and West African trades and will replace existing Maersk operated FEW3 service.

The service will deploy 10 vessels on a vessel shared agreement with CMA CGM offering two and Maersk the remaining eight ships averaging 4,000 to 4,500 TEU.

The port rotation will be Shenzhen-Yantian (YICT), Guangzhou-Nansha, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Kelang (West Port Terminal), Cape Town, Pointe Noire (Congo Terminal), Tema (MPS), Cape Town and back to Shenzhen-Yantian.

"The new AFEX service will ensure schedule reliability with owned berthing windows as well as fast transit time, for example Yantian to Tema in 37 days," said the CMA CGM statement.

Meanwhile, Maersk has suspended its weekly Dar Express service between Salalah, Oman and Dar es Salaam, reports American Shipper. The Dar Express was operating with four Maersk ships averaging 1,898 TEU going from Salalah to Dar es Salaam and back.

Maersk has now added a call at Dar es Salaam to its other weekly Mideast-East string, the Masiika Express, along with a sixth ship. Transit times on the Masiika Express loop have increased seven days southbound, taking 22 days from Salalah to Mombasa.

Maersk and Safmarine's revamp of their FEW3 service connecting China with West African, is said to be part of a new strategy for West Africa.

"The move reflects the consolidation that has been taking place in this trade over the past 12-18 months and reflects the needs of carriers to improve utilisation levels on the very big ships introduced to service over the same period," said London's Containerisation International.

But CMA CGM and Delmas preferred to stress the improved level of service that would result between Asia and Ghana from the changes.

"The key aim of this product will be to develop a new direct link from Asia to Ghana, which is the second largest market in West Africa. The new service will ensure schedule reliability with owned berthing windows as well as a fast transit time with for example Shenzhen-Yantian to Tema in 37 days.'

The restructured service, to focus on southern China and south east Asia, will deploy ten 4,000-4,500-TEU ships with Maersk operating 10 of the vessels and CMA CGM two units.