China Shipping Container Line (CSCL) and alliance partner CMA CGM are to split from their existing agreement with Gold Star Line on the West Africa Express (WAX) service. Instead, they will launch a new service that will concentrate on China and the west Africa market, and include transhipment calls at Port Kelang and Colombo.
Both CSCL and CMA CGM will leave the service after only 18 months, and were due to launch a new 10-day frequency service with seven 1,700 teu vessels from the end of September. The new service will concentrate on the China/west Africa market, and will no longer include calls at Durban, Reunion and Port Louis.
CMACGM will deploy four of the seven vessels, and CSCL the other three. As business develops, the service will be upgraded to weekly, and three more vessels will be introduced. CMA CGM and CSCL will offer a 21-day transit between Chiwan and Lagos – the fastest in the China/West Africa trade. Jean-Francois Guittet, CMA CGM senior vice president for Africa, Oceania and Indian Ocean lines, said the decision to leave the existing WAX agreement was mainly to concentrate on the China market.
You must log in to post a comment.