CMA CGM, Zim, Italia add Turkey calls, boost U.S./Mediterranean loop

CMA CGM, Zim, Italia add Turkey calls, boost U.S./Mediterranean loop

   CMA CGM, Italia Marittima SpA and Zim Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. will add calls at Turkey and increase the size and number of ships on their joint weekly U.S. East Coast/Mediterranean Amerigo Express service.

   Six vessels with capacities of about 2,500 TEUs will replace five ships of about 1,800 TEUs with Italia providing two ships, and CMA CGM and Zim the rest.

   New calls on the service include Istanbul and Izmir in Turkey and Taranto in Italy while Barcelona will replace Valencia as the service’s Spanish call.

   The vessel “Diman II” will start the new rotation when it departs Taranto Aug. 4. The revised ports of call will be: New York, Norfolk, Savannah, Miami, Malta (Marsaxlokk), Taranto, Istanbul, Izmir, Taranto, Marsaxlokk, Leghorn, Genoa, Fos, Barcelona, Lisbon and back to New York.

   Italia Marittima, part of the Evergreen group, markets the service as Mediterranean-USEC Service (MUS).