CMA CGM and SEATRADE launch a unique cooperation
The CMA CGM Group, a world leader in container shipping, and SEATRADE Group, No. 1 in Specialised Reefer Transport, will join their forces to create a new vessel sharing agreement incorporating the services known by CMA CGM as PAD and by Seatrade as MERIDIAN. This unique service will link Northern Europe, the East Coast of the United States, Central America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and the Caribbean on a weekly basis, CMA CGM said in a press release.
This new service brings together CMA CGM, SEATRADE and MARFRET and improves their frequency and port coverage.
The weekly service will have the following rotation:
ZEEBRUGGE, LONDON GATEWAY, ROTTERDAM, DUNKERQUE, LE HAVRE,
NEW YORK, SAVANNAH,
KINGSTON, CARTAGENA,
PAPEETE, NOUMEA
BRISBANE, SYDNEY, MELBOURNE
NELSON, NAPIER, TAURANGA
PISCO, PAITA,
KINGSTON
PHILADELPHIA
ZEEBRUGGE
This new line will be the only one in the market to offer such coverage on a weekly basis. It will:
- Provide a direct and weekly service to Papeete and Noumea from Northern Europe and the East Coast of the United States,
- Provide the only fast, direct, dedicated reefer service from New Zealand to the United States and Europe,
- Improve the supply of transport between Australia and the United States,
- Offer stops in Peru, which will include a very short transit time to supply fruits to the United States and Europe.
13 modern geared ships with a nominal capacity between 2200 and 2500 TEUs will be deployed on this new line (6 CMA CGM, 6 SEATRADE and 1 MARFRET). Each will have minimum 600 Reefers on board necessary to transport refrigerated goods such as fruits or meat.
The launch of the service is scheduled in October 2017, subject to validation by the competent authorities.
Marseille, France headquartered CMA CGM is the world’s third largest container shipping company and ranked number one in France. The Group was founded and is led by Jacques R. Saadé. Its 536 vessels call more than 420 ports in the world, on all 5 continents. In 2015, they carried 18 million** TEUs (twenty - foot equivalent units). CMA CGM has grown continuously, and has been constantly innovating to offer its clients new sea, land and logistics solutions. With a presence in 160 countries, through its 600 agencies network, the Group employs 29,000* people worldwide, including 2,400 in its headquarter in Marseilles.