Contship signs agreement with JSA Med and East Coast South America

An agreement has been signed between members of the JSA Consortium and Contship Containerlines that will see Contship enter the trade between the Mediterranean and the East Coast of South America.

Under this agreement JSA (Joint Service S.America) will provide Contship Containerlines with slots on each of their five ships, beginning in early March 2001.

Both parties to the agreement believe that this will give an opportunity for the new entrant to participate successfully in this ever expanding trade lane.

JSA comprises of three carriers, Zim Israel Navigation Co. of Haifa, Niver Lines of Athens and Maruba s.c.a. of Buenos Aires, all of which are members of MedSam conference.

Each has provided regular container service between ports in the Mediterranean and South America, as well as on many other routes.

The service calls at Genoa, Livorno, Barcelona, Valencia, Vitoria, Santos, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Itajai, Santos, Vitoria, Salvador (alternate sailings), Tenerife, Las Palmas, Barcelona.

Comments David Halliday, CEO of Contship Containerlines: "We have been seeking a cost-effective entrance into this trade to support our existing sales activities in markets throughout South America and the Med.

"Saving entered the North Europe trade in 1996 and consolidated our position since, the time is ripe for a low cost, low risk entry of the Contship product into another important South American trade lane."