French Ports Spotlighted within Ocean Three

The new vessel alliance between shipping giants, CMA CGM Group, China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) and United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), dubbed the Ocean Three, will give a prominent status to French ports, CMA CGM said.

This will particularly relate to the number of calls made at French ports or transit times to Asia.

The new services, which will start during December 2014, will include a link between Asia and northern Europe, in which Dunkirk will be served as a priority in Europe at import.

The alliance said it would be the sole provider of a direct route to Dunkirk, port of entry for the Northeast region of France, from Asia on a weekly basis. It is estimated that Ocean Three’s service from Asia will improve transit times by seven days.

Stéphane Raison, Chair of Dunkerque-Port’s Executive Committee, said: “With this new alliance, three shipping companies that rank among the world’s Top 20 have shown confidence in Dunkirk and its container terminal for their panel of services, and Dunkirk will regain a competitive position at import for all the major accounts and the SMEs and SMIs of the region.”

Marseille-Fos-sur-Mer will host twice weekly calls, offering “the shortest transit times between the Mediterranean and Asia”. 

In addition, Le Havre will see three-times weekly services to and from China.

CMA CGM said that Ocean Three sailings to and from French ports will be upgraded by  “attractive intermodal services in the form of numerous rail and barge routes”. 

The ports of call include the major Chinese ports of Tianjin, Dalian, Qingdao, Shanghai and Yantian, a South Korean port (Busan) and Malaysia’s Port Kelang for transhipments in Southeast Asia. The services will also call at Beirut in Lebanon and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.