Container shipping giant CMA CGM and Specialised reefer transporter Seatrade have announced a collaboration to create a new
vessel sharing agreement incorporating their respective PAD and Meridian services.
The new service will link northern Europe, the East Coast of the US, Central America, the Pacific Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and the Caribbean on a weekly basis.
This new weekly service is designed to improve frequency and port coverage, the groups noted.
The service rotation will include Zeebrugge, London Gateway, Rotterdam, Dunkerque, Le Havre, New York, Savannah, Kingston, Cartagena, Pepeete, Noumea, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Nelson, Napier, Tauranga, Pisco, Paita, Kingston, Philadelphia and Zeebrugge.
The line offers a number of advantages, such as providing a direct and weekly service to Papeete and Noumea from northern Europe and the East Coast of the United States, and providing the only fast, direct, dedicated reefer service from New Zealand to the US and Europe.
In addition, the service will improve the supply of transport between Australia and the US, and offers stops in Peru which will include a very short transit time to supply fruits to the US and Europe.
According to the companies, 13 modern geared ships with a nominal capacity between 2,200 and 2,500 TEUs will be deployed on
the new line. Each will have minimum 600 reefers on board necessary to transport refrigerated goods such as fruits or meat.
