French container shipping line CMA CGM has reported a 41 per cent jump in sales for the first half of 2010 as the shipping industry continues its recovery from the global recession.
Revenue soared to $6.8bn, up from US$4.8bn for the same period last year, while container volumes rose 22 per cent to 4.41m, Bloomberg reported.
"The recovery of demand and freight tariffs is clearly well underway," said company spokesman Guillaume Foucault. "It's a solid turnaround."
CMA CGM is in the process of reorganising some US$7.1bn in debt.
Meanwhile, the company has also announced the delivery in South Korea of the 11,400 TEU vessel CMA CGM LEO.
Leo is the fifth of 12 11,400 TEU vessels ships ordered by the CMA CGM which will be delivered between 2010 and 2011, Transport Intelligence reported.
The ship will join the CMA CGM Christopher Columbus and the CMA CGM Amerigo Vespucci on the FAL 5 service between Asia and Europe, which has grown by 22 per cent since the start of the year.
The company will also take delivery in early August of the CMA CGM Pegasus, a sister ship of the Leo which will also be used on the FAL 5 service.
"The delivery of CMA CGM Leo and Pegasus will allow the CMA CGM Group to meet the steady customer demand and strengthen its leading position on the Asia-Europe market, while taking into account environmental stakes according to the Group's commitments and values," said the firm's senior vice president for Asia/Europe lines Nicolas Sartini.
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