CMA CGM to upgrade its Asia – Europe services

The CMA CGM Group is pleased to announce major improvements to its Asia – Europe services, for implementation June 30th 2009 and onwards.

With these improvements, CMA CGM will now offer: - 10 weekly services (FAL 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15) | - 26 direct loading ports in Asia - 10 direct ports of discharge in Europe | - 260 direct port pairs.

“ CMA CGM Group is eager to offer its customers an enhanced service quality and a unique port coverage without adding capacity to the market. Indeed, we have entered a number of new agreements allowing CMA CGM to provide its customers with the best transit times and the best possible coverage in Asia “ explains Nicolas Sartini, Senior Vice President Asia Europe Lines.

Changes will be as follows: 1. Improvements on FAL 1, FAL 2 and FAL 3 rotations | FAL 1: By July 2009, FAL 1 is going to be 100% operated by CMA CGM vessels.

These vessels, including CMA CGM MUSCA and CMA CGM AQUILA which entered the fleet last week, will be equipped with the latest environmental technologies.

Rotation: Dalian, Xingang, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Yantian, Singapore, Port Kelang, Tangiers, Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Khorfakkan, Yantian, Dalian

New features: Additional calls at Xiamen and Yantian (Eastbound).

FAL 2: FAL 2 will be maintained in its current rotation: Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Hong Kong, Port Kelang, Le Havre, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Zeebrugge, Port Kelang, Ningbo

New features: As from mid-July 2009, this service will resume Eastbound transit via Suez.

FAL 3: Vessels: 9 vessels of 8500/9500 teus.: Rotation: Qingdao, Ningbo, Chiwan, Nansha, Yantian, Port Kelang, Malta, Le Havre, Dunkirk, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Southampton, Beirut, Jeddah, Port Kelang, Chiwan, Qingdao <

New features: Additional call at Chiwan on the Eastbound leg. New calling days in Qingdao and Ningbo in order to reduce transit times to Europe.

2. The FAL family is growing: To provide its customers with a coherent and easy offer, CMA CGM has decided to give the FAL name to all services linking Europe to Asia.

Seven services will be offered, each providing CMA CGM customers with specific features in complement to FAL 1, 2 et 3.

- FAL7: Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Zeebrugge, Tangiers, Yantian, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Ningbo, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Yantian, Algeciras, Rotterdam: Key benefits: Fast transit times into Rotterdam and Bremerhaven.

- FAL8: Southampton, Zeebrugge, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ningbo, Shanghai, Fuqing, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Singapore, Colombo, Southampton

Key benefits: Fast transit times into Southampton and Zeebrugge.

Unique opportunity for Fuqing (China) : - FAL9: Zeebrugge, Felixstowe, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Algeciras, Jeddah, Colombo, Port Kelang, Singapore, Laem Chabang, Tanjung Pelepas, Port Kelang, Colombo, Zeebrugge

Key benefits: Direct service from Laem Chabang (Thailand) to Europe.

- FAL10: Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo, Yantian, Felixstowe, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Hong Kong, Qingdao

Key benefits: Competitive transit times into Felixstowe (UK).

- FAL11: Hakata, Kwangyang, Pusan, Shanghai, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Yantian, Singapore, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Thames, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Hakata

Key benefits: Calls at Hakata (Japan), Kwangyang and Pusan (South Korea).

FAL12: Rotterdam, Hamburg, Le Havre, Tangiers, Jeddah, Singapore, Yantian, Hong Kong, Kobe, Nagoya, Shimizu, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Yantian,

Singapore, Tangiers, Rotterdam: Key benefits: Calls in four Japanese ports .

A new Westbound call in Tangiers.

- FAL15: Kaohsiung, Ningbo, Shanghai, Taipei, Hong Kong, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Colombo, Tarente, Le Havre, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Thames, Colombo, Tanjung Pelepas, Kaohsiung

Key benefits: Two calls in Taiwan and South India via Colombo.

These improvements are part of CMA CGM’s commitment to keep providing its customers with the best coverage in the Asia-Europe trade. CMA CGM has been present on the Asia-Europe trade since 1986 and has since then continually upgraded its offer to meet the requirements of the market.