The Hindu Business Line : CMA CGM to launch new service between Europe, India, Pak

EPIC II
To provide wider coverage of N. Europe
To shorten transit times between India, Benelux countries
It will be the only direct service from Le Havre to India, Pak

Kolkata , Dec. 19

CMA CGM, the world's third largest container line and France's number one, has announced its new EPIC II (Europe Pakistan India Consortium II) service between Europe, India and Pakistan to supplement its existing EPIC (Europe Pakistan India Consortium) service to meet the growing demand for containerised services in the region.

The new service, to be operated with the help of six vessels of 2475-TEU capacity each, is to provide wider coverage of Northern Europe by adding ports of Le Havre and Rotterdam on the route.

It will provide a direct link between Northern Europe and Alexandria, shorten transit times between India and Benelux countries, Malta and the UK and thus operate the only direct service from Le Havre to India and Pakistan, according to company sources.

The port rotation will be: Felixstowe-Rotterdam-Hamburg-Le Havre-Alexandria-Port Qasim-Mundra and Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal with competitive transit times - 12 days between Felixstowe and Alexandria and 15 days between Le Havre and Port Qasim and two more days to Mundra.

The West-bound vessels on CMA CGM's existing EPIC service will be slightly re-routed: Port Qasim will now be served by EPIC II vessels while Damiette will be added to directly cover the Egyptian market. In other words, henceforth the port rotation of EPIC will be: Jebel Ali-Mundra - Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal - Damiette - Malta - Tilbury - Hamburg -Antwerp.

The changes, due to come into force shortly, will mean that the French line will operate two highly competitive services from the Indian sub-continent to Northern Europe, improving its coverage of the Benelux countries and directly providing links with the feeders in the north of the UK.

The line's position in adjoining markets such as Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean too will be strengthened, the sources added.