CMA CGM, whose ships already call Halterm International Container Terminal, is adding Halifax to its Columbus service between Asia and North America, with the first ship to call on August 3.
The new service will provide direct service between Halifax and Malaysia (23 days) and Vietnam (26 days), which will open up new intermodal opportunities for major inland destinations, including Montreal and Toronto.
CMA CGM’s General Manager Canada, Lionel Chatelet, said the company was delighted to add Halifax to its Columbus service, thus expanding its services to clients in Asia and North America by offering faster transit times to key Canadian centres. The first call will be by the 8478 TEU capacity vessel, CMA CGM Vivaldi which, at 334 metres in length, is the largest container vessel to berth at Halterm. With ships carrying up to 9200 TEU capacity, the Columbus service offers a step-up in the capability of container services into the region.
Halterm’s CEO, Ashley Dinning, said that Halterm’s value to Canadian importers and exporters was the consistent and efficient service the company, through its dedicated workforce, provided to vessel, rail and truck modes as a gateway to and from Canadian and Mid-West centres. “We now have the opportunity to deliver on these new, direct connections for the Canadian market” he said. “CMA CGM, with its commitment and vision for its customers, has recognised the potential of the deep water, high capacity vessel calls we can support at Halterm. This is great news for us, for Halifax and for the province and we are looking forward to an even stronger relationship with our valued customer going forward” Dinning said.
The rotation for the new service originates in Shanghai, China. It includes Hong Kong and Yantian, China, followed by Vung Tau, Vietnam; Port Kelang, Malaysia; Halifax, Canada; New York, Norfolk and Savannah, USA; Port Kelang, Vung Tau, Hong Kong, Yantian, Ningbo, China and Busan, Korea.