CMA CGM Expands West Africa Service

The CMA CGM Group announced the improvement of its ASAF service which will deploy 12 vessels of 5,700 containers (TEU) in direct service to West Africa starting May 9, thus becoming the first carrier with vessels of this capacity to call West Africa directly, the company said.

With the 5,700 containers (TEU) vessels calling West Africa in direct service, the CMA CGM Group said it confirms its ambition to reinforce its offer in the area and to support the economic development of the country.

The ER Canada, the first 5,700 containers (TEU) vessel operated by the CMA CGM Group to call West Africa on the ASAF service, will arrive at Walvis Bay (Namibia) on May 9, Pointe Noire (Congo) on May 14 and Luanda (Angola) on May 17.

The CMA CGM Group thus furthers its development in Africa where it is present since 2001, when the WAX trade was created – linking West Africa with China. Consolidated with the acquisition of DELMAS, the maritime transport expert in Africa, in 2006, the CMA CGM Group now claims to be the leading transporter in Africa.

With 72 offices in 43 countries, 25 maritime services, 1,300 employees, the CMA CGM Group has transported over 1,200,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit) in 2013 from/to Africa.

Already well-established in Africa, the group aims at reinforcing its maritime services with the opening of new trades and calls, developing the creation and modernization of its ports infrastructures, extending its solutions for intermodal transport so as to deliver cargo inland and creating new logistic platforms offering a wide range of additional services to its customers (storage, stuffing…).

Since January 2014, the CMA CGM Group has continuously developed in Africa:

• January 2014: CMA Terminals, 100% subsidiary of the CMA CGM Group, sign an agreement for a stake of 25% of Lekki Terminal, in Nigeria.
• January 2014: the launch of a new feeder dedicated to Mozambican ports: Rhino Express
• January 2014: the launch of the Noura Express, a new service linking the world with Somalia through CMA CGM’s hub in Khor Fakkan.
• February 2014: the launch of a second container platform, the TCD2, in Dakar, enabling the group to reinforce its position as leader of the import/export market in Senegal.
• February 2014: the opening of two new offices in Mauritania, in Nouakchott and Nouadibhou.
• March 2014: the opening of a new office in Maputo, Mozambique, inaugurated by the French Minister of foreign trade and the Mozambican Minister of Transports.
• April 2014: the opening of two new offices in Madagascar, in Tuléar and Antsiranana, thus thus bringing the group’s presence in Madagascar to eight offices, of which five are owned, and the launch of a second vessel on the Indian Ocean Feeder service.

cma-cgm.com