OOCL Joins CMA CGM Asia-New Zealand Loop

OOCL is joining in a vessel-sharing agreement with CMA CGM on the French carriers’ service between New Zealand and Northeast Asia to create a weekly fixed-day service.

CMA CGM currently deploys six vessels on the ANZEX service with capacities of between 1,740 and 1,941 20-foot equivalent container units. OOCL did not say how many ships it will contribute to the VSA.

The new New Zealand-Northeast Asia Express service, which starts on Dec. 24, will complement OOCL’s existing New Zealand-Southeast Asia Express.

The Hong Kong-based carrier said the new VSA would increase its capacity and port coverage “to meet the growing demand and customer requirements in the New Zealand market.”

The port rotation of the NZN service will be: Hong Kong, Chiwan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Pusan, Suva or Noumea, Auckland, Port Chalmers, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Noumea and back to Hong Kong.

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.