Major shipping lines have been making a flurry of deals among themselves on the transatlantic trade to help cut costs and in anticipation of a slowdown in the US economy.
Two weeks ago Maersk Line, Meditteranean Shipping Company and CMA CGM reached an agreement to share vessels on the transpacific route to the US West Coast. The latest deal is between Maersk Line and CMC CGM on the North Europe-US East Coast route.
Maersk has entered into a slot charter agreement, which will provide CMA CGM space in the transatlantic trade. The agreement covers 900 TEUs on a weekly basis on Maersk's TA3 service from North Europe to and from Newark, Savannah, and Miami on the US East Coast.
Presently, the TA3 service continues through the Panama Canal to the US West Coast, but this loop is not included in the agreement and will continue to be served only by Maersk Line.
Consequently, CMA CGM will terminate the Liberty Bridge service operated in cooperation with China Shipping. This service deploys four 2,500 TEU vessels, which represent five percent of the total capacity in the transatlantic trade.
The slot charter agreement will commence with the sailing of the Dirch Maersk, departing Bremerhaven, on April 17.
CargonewsAsia
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