CMA CGM Enhances Moroccan, North Europe-Turkey Links

Business & Finance

November 4, 2016

French container shipping giant CMA CGM has upgraded its Moroccan coverage by deploying six services linking the country with Russia, Europe and the Middle East and enhanced its FEMEX service between North Europe and Turkey by adding new ports of call.

The six services, DUNKRUS, AGAX, CISS, AGAPOV, NADOR MED EXPRESS and EPIC2, feature ten weekly calls in Moroccan ports.

The first three services, offered by CMA CGM and its subsidiary OPDR, will link Morocco with Northern Europe and Russia.

With the remaining three services, the group said it will directly connect Morocco to France, Spain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The company said it introduced the services “to meet the increased demand” due to the beginning of the export season in Morocco.

Separately, CMA CGM said it will consolidate its FEMEX service jointly with Danish shipping company Seago, Maersk Group’s subsidiary, as well as with German-based Hamburg Süd. The new service will be operated by five 6,500 TEUs vessels: 2 by CMA CGM, 2 by Seago and 1 by Hamburg Süd.

“The first southbound phase for this new service will be performed by “CMA CGM Rabelais” which will reach Rotterdam on December 2,” CMA CGM said.

According to CMA CGM, new ports of Felixstowe, Valencia and Piraeus will be added to the service’s former existing rotation.

The current calls at Casablanca and Constanta are transferred on new dedicated short sea services, the company said.

The revised FEMEX rotation will be as follows: Felixstowe (United Kingdom), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Bremerhaven (Germany), Antwerp (Belgium), Marsaxlokk (Malta), Piraeus (Greece), Gebze, Ambarli, Gemlik, Aliaga (Turkey), Marsaxlokk, Valencia (Spain), Tangiers (Morocco), Felixstowe.