CMA CGM and Alibaba have signed a memorandum of understanding on digital cooperation.

Under the agreement, customers will be able to use Alibaba’s OneTouch payment platform as an alternative to book shipments from China to the Mediterranean and the Adriatic on CMA CGM’s vessels.

The MEX1 service, which connects Asia with the Mediterranean, will offer Qingdao, Shanghai, Ningbo and Yantian as ports of loading and Barcelona and Valencia as ports of discharge.

The BEX service, connecting Asia with the Adriatic, will offer Shanghai, Ningbo and Chiwan as ports of loading, and Rijeka, Koper, Trieste and Venice as ports of discharge.

The agreement creates added value for customers and combines the shipping industry with the digital world, according to CMA CGM.

Alibaba already has a similar agreement in place with Maersk Line.