China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) will introduce a second container service between China and North Europe during the second half of 2004, according to senior company executives in Shanghai. The new service will call at the ports of Dalian, Tianjin and Qingdao, which so far CSCL has only served through a slot arrangement with the French line, CMA-CGM. It will effectively add at least 285,000 teu annualised capacity into the trade, will be launched in time for the Europe peak season.
Eight new post-panamax ships will be deployed, all around 5,500 teu capacity. They are under construction in China, with delivery due to start in mid-2004.
Around the same time next year, the company is also expected to make its long awaited entry into the transatlantic trade between North Europe and the US east coast. This move is likely to be made through a slot undertaking with one or more existing Atlantic carrier, and CMA-CGM is strongly tipped for that role.
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