Lloyd’s
Stuart Todd | Improving transit times and expanding trade
CMA CGM Group is launching a new service between Morocco and Europe which aims to provide “tailor-made” logistics solutions for citrus fruit and fresh vegetable exporters in the North African state.
From November 2012, Dunkrus Express will operate on a weekly basis with its full round-trip routing reading: Casablanca-Agadir-Dunkirk-Antwerp-Casablanca.
The service will offer a connection at Dunkirk the same day with CMA CGM’s Baltic service to St Petersburg.
The Dunkrus Express will link the Moroccan port of Agadir with Dunkirk in four days and St Petersburg in 10½ days, compared to 14 days currently, CMA CGM said.
“Improving the transit time to Russia was essential and will allow us to support Moroccan producers in developing their exports on this rapidly expanding trade,” the group added.
The Dunkrus Express will be operated by two 1,000 teu capacity vessels, each equipped with 220 reefer plugs.
Dunkirk will be dropped from the itinerary of CMA CGM’s existing weekly, two-vessel Agadir Express fresh produce service.
It will be routed to Casablanca-Agadir-Portsmouth-Rotterdam-Le Havre-Casablanca, from mid-October.
Another change will see CMA CGM’s two-vessel reefer service between Agadir and the French Mediterranean port of Port Vendres increase to twice-weekly, starting early November.
“With these three services from Morocco to Europe, CMA CGM is offering coverage and transit times to meet the most demanding of our customers’ requirements,” says Peter Verheijen, CMA CGM’s Deputy Vice President, North Africa Lines.
“These latest developments are also supporting a strong move in favour of containers which has been evident in this sector over the last four years, volumes having been carried almost solely by refrigerated trucks in the past,” says Mr. Verheijen.
