CMA CGM next month will expand the coverage of its Panama Direct (PAD) service with the perhaps unlikely inclusion of a call in Cork, Ireland.
PAD, which operates between Europe, East Coast North America, the South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, with return calls in central American hubs, is mounted in conjunction with Marfret (which labels the service NASP).
The weekly service is therefore multi-sectoral and the addition of Cork westbound, inserted between Le Havre and New York in the current rotation, is about enhancing trans-Atlantic connections rather than specifically providing opportunities for ANZ importers/exporters, though doubtless CMA CGM (and Marfret) will not turn away business if it’s offering.
In order to accomplish the Cork calls CMA CGM will add a 15th vessel to PAD, understood to be the 2,268 TEU Ubena. Notwithstanding, the first departure under this new service will be by CMA CGM White (V 0RPLUS1MA), replacing drydocking sister CMA CGM Orange, with an estimated time of arrival in Cork on 28 April.
The extra vessel will also assist PAD with schedule keeping, problems with which have seen East Coast Australian ports regularly skipped in order for vessels to make crucial Zespri kiwifruit loading dates in Tauranga.
Neoliner Origin. Image: © Arthur Jacobs
CMA CGM’s flexibility in this regard has been assisted by its recent slot charter deal with Maersk on the latter’s OC1 ANZ-ECNA service — which CMA CGM labels Kea — and which combines with PAD to enable twice-weekly sailings on that route.
Meanwhile, separately but also on the Atlantic, CMA CGM announced overnight [25 March European time] that it is providing customers with access to the sailings (from Montoir to Baltimore and Halifax) of the innovative, wind-powered vessel Neoliner Origin.
CMA CGM “described the move as “a significant enhancement to our network as part of our commitment to delivering high-quality service and sustainable transportation options”.