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CP Ships and Hapag-Lloyd begin to rationalize services
| 21.12.05 Mediterranean/Gulf of Mexico CP Ships and Hapag-Lloyd begin to rationalize services "Thanks to the integration of the two hitherto independent services, we can significantly improve the product for our customers and also achieve the benefits of rationalization," commented Tony Firmin, Managing Director of Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, on the reorganization of the links between the West Mediterranean and the Gulf of Mexico, which will be effective from February 2006. This planned service improvement was expedited by the acquisition of P&O Nedlloyd by Maersk and the subsequent changes in previous joint ventures. The service, which will use the established name "Mediterranean Gulf Express", will offer weekly departures in future with a total of six ships each of 3,000 TEU capacity. Ports of call will be: Malta, Cagliari/Gioia Tauro, Livorno, Genoa, Barcelona, Valencia, Miami, Veracruz, Altamira, Houston, New Orleans, San Juan and Malta again. The rationalization will not affect the cooperation with ZIM Lines. Hapag-Lloyd will thereby obtain access to direct shipments with the ZCS service, calling at Haifa, Piraeus, Livorno, Barcelona, New York and Savannah. The cooperation with CMA-CGM, however, is being discontinued. Another advantage for customers is that via an agreement with Maersk Line Hapag-Lloyd will be provided with slots on two further links. One service is between the East Mediterranean and the US East Coast, calling at Port Said, Haifa, Izmir, Gioia Tauro, New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Algeciras and Port Said again. The other calls at La Spezia, Valencia, Algeciras, New York, Charleston, Houston, Algeciras, Gioia Tauro and La Spezia. With its acquisition of CP Ships, Hapag-Lloyd has become one of the Top 5 in liner shipping. Its parent company is TUI AG, based in Hanover. |
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