Maersk Line and CMA CGM agree on Med - North America vessel sharing

Maersk Line announced the following enhancements to the WestMed Service, serving the Mediterranean - North America trade.

The new service is achieved in cooperation with French-based CMA-CGM in a Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA) to commence in March 2009.

It will provide enlarged port coverage in the West Mediterranean with the introduction of 2 new calls in Algeciras and Gioia Tauro - in addition to the historic calls in Malta, Livorno, Genoa and Fos - offering new feeder connections with Italy, Spain and Portugal.
As part of the agreement, Maersk Line will operate four vessels and CMA-CGM will operate one, CMA CGM AMBER, with an average net capacity of 3,500 TEU.

Port rotation will be Algeciras, Malta, Gioia Tauro, Livorno, Genoa, Fos, Algeciras, New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Miami and return to Algeciras.

It will replace two existing services; the Amerigo service operated by CMA-CGM and Evergreen, and Maersk Line's current WestMed. By combining two strings, approximately 2,900 TEU of weekly capacity will be removed from the trade, bringing needed stability to the market.

The new service will leave Malta on March 12, 2009, in the continuity of the current service. <Korea Shipping Gazette>