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West Mediterranean News

02 Aug 2023

Mixed Fortunes on Far East to Europe Trades

Š moofushi / Adobe Stock

With the peak ocean freight cargo season approaching, the latest data from Oslo-based Xeneta shows mixed fortunes, and outlooks, for the two main Far East to Europe trade corridors.Xeneta’s analysis reveals that shippers opting for the Far East – Mediterranean route are currently paying a spot rate premium compared to those choosing a North European option. There are also clear implications for long-term contracts, explains Peter Sand, Chief Analyst at Xeneta, across two very similar routes…

08 Feb 2021

Fincantieri, Italian Shipping Academy Launch Cybersecurity Training

Š Song_about_summer / Adobe Stock

Fincantieri, through its subsidiary E-phors, specialized in providing cybersecurity services and products, has recently provided a training course in partnership with the Italian Shipping Academy, aimed at introducing deck officers to the basics of cybersecurity.The three-day training course is part of the Academy’s project – funded by the European Commission “Common Maritime Education Standards in the West Mediterranean” – and  it has also been carried out thanks to the cooperation of Cetena (study center in the maritime field)…

20 Aug 2020

Fincantieri Floats Out MSC Seashore

(Photo: Fincantieri)

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri announced Thursday it has floated out the new cruise ship MSC Seashore at its shipyard in Monfalcone. The vessel has been moved to a wet dock where interior outfitting work will continue until delivery to MSC Cruises in July 2021.MSC Seashore, which will be MSC Cruises’ longest ship at 339 metres and the largest and most innovative ever built in Italy, is the third of four vessels in MSC Cruises’ Seaside class, following MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview launched in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

10 Aug 2020

MSC Will Resume Cruises on August 16

MSC Grandiosa (Photo: MSC Cruises)

Switzerland-based MSC Cruises announced Monday that it will resume "full-experience" cruise operations on select ships in the Mediterranean starting from mid-August.The cruise lines flagship MSC Grandiosa will sail in the West Mediterranean from August 16 and MSC Magnifica in the West Mediterranean from August 29. The ships will be the first to implement a new health and safety protocol that has been approved by the relevant national authorities along the ships’ itineraries.Pierfrancesco Vago…

05 May 2019

LSCT Welcomes MSC Trieste

With the arrival of the MSC Trieste,  Contship’s La Spezia Container Terminal  (LSCT) greeted the maiden voyage of the “revised” Dragon/AE20 service from Asia operated by 2M joint partners, MSC and Maersk Line.Like its predecessor, the service calls La Spezia as its first gateway port call in the West Mediterranean, taking advantage of the connectivity throughout Italy as well as southern Europe.The number of port calls in the rotation has been reduced to improve schedule integrity and overall service efficiency. Built in 2011 and over 365m in length the MSC Trieste has a deadweight of almost 155,000 tons and a nominal capacity of 13…

07 Dec 2017

Costa Group's New Gen Ships Will Call Marseille

Costa Group – part of Carnival Corporation & plc, the world’s largest cruise company – announced that its new generation ships, the first LNG powered at sea, will call Marseille in 2019. The Costa Group, the leading tourism group, the No. 1 cruiser in Europe has renovated its commitment to Port of Marseille through different initiatives that began in 1996 when the new cruise called “La Dolce Vita” started its weekly operations from Marseille to offer the French guests every Saturday a brand new and unique experience in the best places of the Mediterranean onboard its ship Costa Romantica. This new offer launched by Costa contributed to the French people being more and more interested in experiencing a cruise vacation.

11 Jul 2017

APM Terminals Mumbai Adds New Arabian Gulf/Mediterranean Direct Service

French based CMA-CGM, a member of the Ocean Alliance, began the new INDIAMED service to Mumbai with the arrival of the 5,009 TEU capacity CMA CGM Virginia at APM Terminals Mumbai. The service, linking South Asia with ports in the Arabian Gulf and Mediterranean, was officially introduced on July 2nd, operating with vessels provided by CMA-CGM, its APL subsidiary, and Chinese-based Alliance partner COSCO. The weekly INDIAMED service provides the fastest transit times between India and CMA CGM hub ports in the Mediterranean and Arabian Gulf, and expands the transshipment network through the MEGEM (East Mediterranean to/from Middle East destinations) and MEDEX (West Mediterranean to/from Middle East and Indian Sub-Continent) services.

12 Jun 2017

CMA CGM Launches INDIAMED

CMA CGM has announced the launch starting July 2 of its new service between the East Mediterrane an, Djibouti, Arabian Gulf, Pakistan and India. The service is one of the fastest between these strategic zones and connects CMA CGM hubs in the Mediterranean and the Arabian Gulf. INDIAMED will complement our MEGEM (East Mediterranean to/from Middle East) and MEDEX (West Mediterranean to/from Middle East & Indian Sub-Continent) offering synergies between services to allow an improved port coverage of these areas and better connections. India and Pakistan to Red Sea and East Mediterranean with direct calls in Turkey, Malta and Pireaus with the possibility of connection to a wide array of ports in East Mediterranean, Adriatic, Black Sea and North Africa. Djibouti to U.S.

12 Apr 2017

World's Largest Containership in Shanghai

MOL Triumph, the world's largest containership with a carrying capacity of 20,170 TEU, successfully arrived at Yangshan Port in Shanghai on April 10, 2017, said Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. MOL took delivery of MOL Triumph, the first of six 20,000 TEU-class containerships from Samsung Heavy Industries on March 27, 2017. At 400 meters in length and 58.8 meters in width, MOL Triumph is longer than the Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower of Shanghai is tall. MOL established MOL (China) in Shanghai in 1995. Today, MOL's vessels call at all major ports in China offering wide range of reliable, direct and fast services to customers. "MOL is pleased to celebrate the arrival of the world's largest containership at Yangshan Port. Her arrival is hailed as a significant milestone for MOL.

28 Nov 2016

Oversupply Remains - Drewry

The withdrawal of Hanjin tonnage has not been enough to rectify the trade’s supply-demand imbalance and headhaul ship utilisation is lower compared to other major East-West markets. Westbound volumes rose by 1.8% in the third quarter and the growth rate for the year to date is now registering 2.9% (see Figure 1). Asian exports shipped to the West Mediterranean (including North Africa) grew by 2.8% between July and September, while traffic to the eastern sector of the trade only expanded by 0.8%. By the end of September, the 12-month rolling average growth factor for westbound flows was touching 3.4% (see Figure 2) which is a distinct improvement on the minus 1.9% recorded a year earlier, and represents the highest point it has reached since March 2015.

15 Oct 2016

MSC Active in 8th World Rice Conference

Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A (MSC) considers the the 8th World Rice Conference, in Thailand is a perfect opportunity to meet customers, detail our enhanced offering for the commodity, and provide further information about our weekly services to major rice cargo destinations around the world, including Africa Continent, USA, East and West Mediterranean, Red Sea and Black Sea. Hundreds of millers, traders, exporters, brokers and suppliers are expected to attend the two-day event, which pitches itself as the premier conference focused solely on the rice industry. MSC said in a statement that it is committed to providing end to end solutions for those involved in the import and export of rice, and has invested resource heavily into assisting traders of this commodity.

14 Jul 2016

CMA CGM to Upgrade its EURAF Services

In a continued effort to provide increased reliability and quality service in a challenging environment, CMA CGM Group is strengthening its coverage of Europe to West Africa with the addition of the direct call in Cameroon on its EURAF 5 service and the EURAF 4 service upgrade connecting Europe to West Africa strategic markets. Direct service from North Europe to Douala with a fortnightly frequency combined with a shortened transit time by 7 days. Therefore, it is one of the best transit time on the market with Douala from Antwerp in 28 days and from Le Havre in 29 days. Our exporters in Douala will benefit from a very fast and direct transit time to North Europe: Northern France will be reached in 16 days, Antwerp in 17 days.

05 Apr 2016

Container Shipping Market Move from Bad to Worse

A record volume of capacity entered the container markets in 2015. But where have the ships been deployed, and which carriers have taken on the most? The shipping consultants Drewry released their container shipping review for the first quarter 2016, and the outlook does not look positive. The drop in newbuild containership orders could be continued as container shipping companies seem to be running out of profitable trades to deploy their big ships, in turn leading to a decrease in the economic imperative and the financial ability to order new vessel. “Last year was full of records in the container shipping industry, but unfortunately for carriers they were mostly of the unwanted variety.

04 Apr 2016

Container Shipping Approaching Crucial Trigger Point - Drewry

Further expected container shipping liner losses throughout the first half of 2016, exacerbated by the awful prevailing spot and contract freight rates will lead to a major trigger point at some stage later this year. This will happen either through radical capacity management at the trade route level and/or a much more sensible and logical approach to commercial pricing, according to the latest Container Forecaster report published by global shipping consultancy Drewry. Global rate levels are no longer sustainable and with the lines’ GRI mechanism soon to be defunct on European trades due to new EU regulations that are about to be implemented, carriers will need to find new tools.

01 Mar 2016

UASC Rolls out Indian Service

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has launched a new Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean Express Service (IMEX) on 26 February, offering coverage from the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea into West Mediterranean. This new, fixed–day, weekly service is set to replace UASC’s Middle East Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean - US East Coast service (MINA) that currently operates from Middle East to West Mediterranean and the US. The IMEX service rotation, effective February 26th 2016, will be: Khor Fakkan - Jebel Ali - Port Qasim - Mundra - Nhava Sheva - Jeddah - Port Said East - La Spezia - Genoa - Fos Sur Mer - Barcelona - Valencia - Tangier - Genoa - Malta - Port Said West - Jeddah - Khor Fakkan.

29 Feb 2016

UASC Reshuffles Weekly Service

Photo: UASC

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has announced a new Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean Express Service (IMEX), providing its customers with optimal coverage from the Arabian Gulf, Indian Subcontinent and Red Sea into West Mediterranean. This new, fixed–day, weekly service is set to replace UASC’s Middle East Indian Subcontinent Mediterranean - US East Coast service (MINA) that currently operates from Middle East to West Mediterranean and the U.S. As part of its global expansion and customer service excellence strategy…

03 Nov 2015

NOURA EXPRESS to Optimise its Service Between East Africa and Europe

Following its core strategy of continuous Africa Lines service upgrade, CMA CGM is pleased to present its latest significant improvement on its NOURA EXPRESS service connecting East Africa with Europe. Starting end of November 2015 with m/v MARIE DELMAS, NOURA EXPRESS fixed-day direct service from Kenya and Somalia will be upgraded with a weekly direct call at Salalah (Oman). First call is expected on December 12th, 2015. This service extension will allow smooth and fast connections from Salalah to Europe with EPIC service. - Excellent opportunity for commodities out of Uganda and Rwanda. Transit time Kampala-Hamburg in 44 days.

14 Oct 2015

CMA CGM Adds Morrocco Links

French container shipping company CMA CGM has upgraded its services in Morocco, offering improved connections for the country’s citrus and vegetable exports to key markets including Russia, France, Spainand the UK. Via its subsidiary OPDR, the group said it had re-configured its operations to provide the Moroccan fresh produce export trade with five maritime services, offering new transport links to Russia, northern Europe, North America, the Middle East and Africa. The port of Agadir is the heart of Moroccan citrus fruit and vegetable production, and will thus be served with three weekly calls serving northern Europe and Russia, via the Dunkrus, Ciss and Agax services.

20 Mar 2015

Ecke is GM of DEA Egypt

The new General Manager for Egypt is Dr Hans-Hermann Ecke, who is responsible for the business of the Egyptian subsidiary of DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG based in Cairo since the beginning of March. “I am looking forward to the upcoming tasks in Egypt, where DEA has already been part of the oil and gas industry for more than 40 years,” says Dr Hans-Hermann Ecke. “With our Disouq natural gas project, we have recently been able to more than double our oil and gas production in Egypt. Dr Hans-Hermann Ecke has a PHD in geology. He is well  experienced in Egypt‘s upstream industry and DEA Egypt’s E&P projects from his earlier employment as General Manager in the period from 2009 to 2011.

16 Jul 2015

CMA CGM Group Upgrades African Service

Photo: CMA CGM

The CMA CGM Group announced changes to its African service, upgrading its EURAF 4 service to directly connect West Africa to the West Mediterranean markets each week starting July 18, the group announced. Up until now, the EURAF 4 service has been calling the following ports: Tangiers, Lome, Cotonou, Port Gentil, Libreville, Lome and Tangiers. The service upgrade will see added calls in Italy, France, Malta and Spain. Starting July 18, two vessels will be added to the EURAF 4 service so that a total of seven vessels between 2…

30 Sep 2014

DMR Examines Container Terminal Congestion Issues

Container port congestion has been hitting the headlines recently, but the reasons for it vary widely and in many cases it is only a short term issue. Certain world regions though may be at greater risk of persistent congestion in the longer term, considers Drewry Maritime Research in this extract from the latest 'Container Insight Weekly'. The map shown here provides a snapshot of some of the main container ports which have reportedly experienced congestion issues in recent months. Asia features strongly, as does North Africa, along with North Europe and the US. The issue of congestion is not restricted to one part of the world therefore, nor is it solely an emerging or developed market problem.

03 Nov 2014

“Intra-Mediterranean Container Trades” Update

Dynamar has published “INTRA-MEDITERRANEAN CONTAINER TRADES”, the latest report in its Container Trades and Markets series. Salient details and interesting findings of the new report are discussed here below. Intra-Mediterranean (2014) Container Trades is all about the 170 services operated by 40 different shipping companies deploying 275 container, Ro/Ro and multipurpose ships with container capacities of 400 to 3,000 TEU that populate the intra and coastal all Mediterranean waters. Through nearly 100 ports in 24 countries, they serve some 700 million people in frequencies of between twice and many times per month, carrying an average of 275,000 full TEU of regional trade and feeder boxes every week.

07 Sep 2015

UASC Boosts West Africa Services

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has launched two new West Africa services, WAF2 and WAF3, to enhance schedule reliability and cater to growing demand. The new services, effective September 2015, will operate in addition to UASC’s existing WAF1 service. Lars Christiansen, Chief Trade Officer at UASC commented, “In addition to reduced transit times and enhanced schedule reliability, the new services are designed to improve connections between West Mediterranean and West Africa enabling our customers globally to avail of new opportunities.