CONTSHIP reveals dates for first sailings in North Europe-Asia trade

March will see Contship Containerlines launch two fixed-day weekly services between Asia and northern Europe, taking slots from CMA CGM.

The first westbound sailings on the respective services will be the 'Villa De Tania' from Shanghai on March 5th and the 'Mare Africum' from Qingdao on March 3rd. Eastbound, they will be the 'Saudi Jeddah' from Le Havre on March 5th and 'Cap San Nicholas' from Hamburg on March 10th.

Whilst the two new services have many ports in common, one has greater focus on ports in the East China Sea, whilst the other has a greater concentration on ports in the Yellow Sea.

The first service currently deploys nine ships of around 4,000 teu capacity, but from July 2001, will start deploying the first of eight 6,500 teu newbuildings. It calls at: Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Zeebrugge, Southampton, Malta, Damietta, Jeddah, Khor Fakkan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Jeddah, Malta and Le Havre.

The second service deploys 10 ships ranging from 2,000 to 3,500 teu capacity. Ports of call are Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Port Kelang, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Qingdao, Dalian, Inchon, Pusan, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Damietta, Malta and Hamburg.

The new services will offer very competitive transit times. Westbound, these include just 24 days from Hong Kong to Le Havre and 27 days from Qingdao to Hamburg. Eastbound, Zeebrugge to Hong Kong takes 24 days and Le Havre to Dalian takes 25 days - some of the fastest transit times available on the trade.

Comments David Halliday, Chief Executive Officer of Contship Container lines: "The initial agreement covers a two year period.

However, we have a clear understanding that this is the start of a long-term relationship with the opportunity to explore other joint initiatives.

"Over the last few years, we have developed a strong strategic partnership with CMA CGM. We now work together in numerous trades including those between Europe, the Middle East and South Asia; the Indian sub-continent and North America; South East Asia, the Indian sub-continent and Arabian Gulf, as well as our well-established round-the-world service.

"The addition of Contship Containerlines' services between markets in northern Europe and Asia further expands the company's service portfolio and gives us the opportunity to explore synergies between our existing operations in the region.

"It also means that we will be moving back into an area that we served successfully for many years through our Ocean Star round-the-world service which used to call in several North, Central and Southern ports in the Far East.

"Over the last couple of years, all of our existing services have been upgraded as business has grown. We have also launched several new services which have been very successful including Indamex in the trade between North America and the Indian sub-continent and Galex between the Malaysian peninsula, India and Arabian Gulf.

"Our new Asia-North Europe service will allow us to offer customers the best system on the trade between China and North Asia, South East Asia and Northern Europe."