CMA CGM announced it is ramping up its capacity between Asia and Europe in response to “unprecedented demand” for shipping services in the routes. 

In a statement, the French shipping line said the Group is also implementing effective solutions to address the container shortage and port congestion.

"CMA CGM has boosted the capacity assigned to lines between Asia and Europe by 6% for the fourth quarter of 2020 compared to the same period of 2019," it said.

The shipping line noted that this ramp-up will be provided by: adding a new class of nine 23,000-TEU LNG-powered vessels assigned to Asia-Europe trade, three of which are already in service; adding two extra loaders operating on routes between Asia and Europe, providing over 9,000 TEU in total capacity, with special departures from China to France and the Netherlands in late December 2020.

CMA CGM said there will also be "no blank sailing departures" on the FAL 1 and FAL 3 lines since the recovery began in Asia in mid-May.

"The CMA CGM Group has taken several measures to speed up the return of empty containers to Asia and to cut delays at the ports it serves in Asia and Europe. It has arranged special services for our customers to ports less affected by the congestion," it said.

During the second half of 2020, CMA CGM said it has increased the size of its container fleet by 8.7%, services have been rerouted to clear the build-up of empty containers, and CMA CGM is offering its customers alternative solutions that use other types of containers to meet their needs.

Four weekly calls in France

In total, there will be four weekly calls in France and more space for the French market with a new import call by the FAL 1 line in Le Havre.

The CMA CGM Antoine de Saint Exupery has called at Le Havre on 13 December, adding another weekly import call in France to CMA CGM’s FAL 1, which connects Asia to Europe in an 84-day rotation. This direct connection can ship a container from Shanghai to France in barely 27 days.

The FAL 3 service will also make a weekly export call in Le Havre bound for ports in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and Asia. Under these new arrangements, the CMA CGM’s vessels will make four weekly calls in France — two at Le Havre, one at Dunkirk and one at Marseille/Fos-sur-Mer.

CMA CGM said it will add more capacity depending on the demand. 

"[We] will make further additions in the first quarter of 2021, when capacity will be 10% higher than in the current quarter," it said.