CMA CGM, MSC ready first 8,100-TEU ships for China/California service

CMA CGM, MSC ready first 8,100-TEU ships for China/California service

   CMA CGM and Mediterranean Shipping Co. are firming up their plan to introduce a weekly service with 8,100-TEU behemoths between Asia and the U.S. West Coast port of Long Beach later this year.

   The first sailing of the service will be that of the “CMA CGM Hugo” on Aug. 23. Five new 8,100-TEU will gradually replace ships of about 4,000-TEU capacity currently employed in CMA CGM’s “TPX” transpacific service. They will call at ports of South China and of California.

   CMA CGM said that the “CMA CGM Hugo” will be 334 meters (1,096 feet) long and 42.8 meters (140 feet) wide.

   The CMA CGM/MSC service will employ some of the largest containerships to call at ports in the United States. Until now, 8,000-TEU-type vessels have tended to operate in the Asia/Europe trade, with the exception of Maersk Sealand’s “S-class” mega-containerships.