French, Chinese, Arab shipping lines link for OCEANS THREE trades

September 21, 2014

PARIS – The French shipping line CMA CGM, the world’s third largest container shipping company, has signed three agreements on the biggest worldwide maritime trades with China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) and United Arab Shipping Company (UASC).  The agreements, to operate under the name OCEAN THREE,  cover Asia-Europe, Asia-Mediterranean, Transpacific and Asia-US East Coast trades, and involve a combination of vessel sharing, slot exchanges and slot charter agreements.

The agreements are pending authorisation from the Federal Maritime Commission.

The agreements cover four weekly services on the Asia-Europe trade, taking two existing services to six departures weekly; four weekly services on Asia-Mediterranean trade, two to the Mediterranean, one to the Adriatic and one to the Black Sea (the only service in this market); On the Transpacific,  four weekly services to California and one to the Pacific Northwest (US and Canada); and on the Asia-US  East Coast trade, one service via the Suez Canal and one dedicated to the Gulf of Mexico.

The new services are intended to be effective end-2014. The Australian National Line (ANL) is part of the CMA CGM group.  www.cma-cgm.com (ATI).