Europe-based container shipping majors Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM plan to enhance their joint service linking North Europe and Central America, starting from January 2017.

The companies intend to add a call at London Gateway in the United Kingdom and to replace the current call at Cartagena, Columbia by calling Caucedo in the Dominican Republic.

The changes will become effective with M/V CMA CGM Fort St. Georges calling at London Gateway on January 6, 2017, according to CMA CGM.

The enhanced service will include the following ports: London Gateway (UK), Hamburg (Germany), Rotterdam (Netherlands), Antwerp (Belgium), Le Havre (France). Caucedo (Dominican Republic), Kingston (Jamaica), Santo Tomas De Castilla (Guatemala), Puerto Cortes (Honduras), Puerto Limon (Costa Rica).

The service will be run by five CMA CGM vessels of 2,300 TEUs and one Hapag–Lloyd vessel.

Hapag-Lloyd refers to the service as the Central America Express (SW3) service and CMA CGM as the ECS service.

Image Courtesy: Hapag-Lloyd