EVERGREEN AND CMA CGM REVEAL COOPERATION
In a surprise announcement, the independent-minded Taiwanese carrier Evergreen Marine Corp. and CMA CGM, the French shipping line, have started their first cooperation agreement, a slot exchange in the trade between Asia and Europe.
The cooperation has started with immediate effect and involves two major carriers, neither of which belong to a global alliance.
The agreement was reached by the senior management of both companies — Jacques Saade of CMA CGM and Marcel Chang of Evergreen — as they met earlier this week before traveling to the Box Club meeting of carrier chief executive officers in China.
For Evergreen, the pact with CMA CGM represents another significant move away from its previous policy of independent operations, in favor of joint services and slot exchanges with other carriers.
Evergreen now also cooperates with: New World Alliance carriers APL, Hyundai Merchant Marine and MOL in the transpacific trade; COSCO, NYK and other carriers in the Asia/South Africa/East Coast of South America trade; and COSCO, Yang Ming and other lines in the Europe/Indian Subcontinent trade.
The latest agreement between Evergreen and CMA CGM, started March 18, consists of an exchange of slots between CMA CGM’s French Asia Line and North China Express services and Evergreen’s West Coast U.S./Asia/Europe (WAE) service.
CMA CGM will take 350 TEUs a week on the Asia/Europe portion of Evergreen’s service, while the Taiwanese carrier will split its 350-TEU allocation between the two Asia/Europe services operated by CMA CGM.
A spokesman for CMA CGM said that, although the French Asia Line and North China Express services call at ports in the Middle East, the agreement does not allow Evergreen to move cargoes between Europe and the Middle East on those services.
CMA CGM will have slots between Asia and Europe on Evergreen’s WAE multi-trade service, but will not take space between Asia and the U.S.
Evergreen’s WAE service calls at U.S. Pacific Northwest ports, Tokyo, Osaka, Hakata, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Singapore, Colombo, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Thamesport, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Port Said, Colombo, Singapore, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Osaka, Tokyo and U.S. Pacific Northwest ports.
CMA CGM’s French Asia Line calls at Le Havre, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Southampton, Malta, Khor Fakkan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Malta, Le Havre, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and Southampton.
Its North China Express ships calls at Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Jeddah, Port Kelang, Singapore, Kwangyang, Busan, Xingang, Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Singapore, Port Kelang, Jeddah, Malta, Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge and Le Havre.
By gaining access to another two weekly Asia/northern Europe loops, Evergreen will double the frequency of its Asia/northern Europe services.
CMA CGM will now provide five weekly Asia/northern Europe services, of which three, including Evergreen’s, are operated by other carriers.
CMA CGM has moved closer to China Shipping Container Line in the last two years, and set up a series of slot exchange and vessel-sharing agreements. A spokesman for CMA CGM said that the carrier will continue to share services with China Shipping in the Asia/Europe trade, alongside its new cooperation with Evergreen.