France-based shipping group CMA CGM has revealed that it is to add a new call at Durban in South Africa to its West Africa Express (WAX) service, linking Asia with West Africa.
According to the group, the new weekly call will allow direct connection from South Africa to Asia (eastbound and westbound), responding to expanding trade from China to South Africa and the growing demand from South African exporters towards Asia.
The WAX service, which deploys 11 vessels of 2,600 TEU capacity, will offer worldwide connections to CMA CGM services from Durban, in addition to those already available from Port Kelang or Colombo.
The new port rotation for the service will be Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Fuqing, Chiwan, Port Kelang, Durban, Walvis Bay, Tema, Apapa, Lome, Abidjan, Durban, Colombo, Port Kelang and Qingdao.
'This new call will meet the strong customer demand for a direct service between Asia and South Africa,' said Stéphanie Courquin, deputy vice-president for Africa, the Indian Ocean and Oceania Lines at CMA CGM. 'If reflects the determination of CMA CGM to complement the meshing of its three dedicated services between Asia and Africa and create synergy on this fast growing market.'
In addition, CMA CGM has also upgraded its AFEX service connecting north and central China with Cameroon, Benin and Nigeria, with a stop in Maputo (Mozambique) on the way to Asia completing the interconnection of the group's services to Asia.
