CMA CGM AND KIEN HUNG TO LAUNCH ASIA/U.S. EAST COAST ALL-WATER SERVICE

CMA CGM AND KIEN HUNG TO LAUNCH ASIA/U.S. EAST COAST ALL-WATER SERVICE

   CMA CGM of France and Kien Hung of Taiwan will launch a new joint
transpacific service, direct to the U.S. East Coast via Panama.
   Subject to approval by the Federal Maritime Commission in the U.S. and
China’s Ministry Of Communications, it is hoped to begin the service in April.
   In their first venture together, and Kien Hung’s first substantive foray
into North America, the partners plan to serve ports in Asia. The rotation is Pusan,
Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong and Keelung, Cristobal (Panama), then Kingston (Jamaica), New
York, Norfolk, Savannah, Kingston again, and Balboa (Panama) westbound, before returning
to Asia.
   In order to maintain a weekly all-water service turning in New York, the
partners will deploy a fleet of nine vessels of around 2,500-TEU each.
   This is CMA CGM’s second new transpacific link in less than a year. Last
May it extended its weekly Europe/Asia service into a pendulum reaching West Coast U.S.
ports, using vessels of just under 2,000-TEU.
   Kien Hung has mainly operated in the Asia to South Africa/South America
trade, also briefly entering the South Africa/Europe trade as well. Early last year it
began a fortnightly Asia/West Coast South America service calling, southbound-only, in Los
Angeles.