CMA CGM Andromeda

Shipping group CMA CGM has revealed that it is launching ACSA 2, a new direct service between Asia, Mexico and the West Coast of South America, operated in partnership with CSCL, Hanjin Shipping and Hyundai Merchant Marine.

The new joint service is designed to strengthen the France-based group's presence in these trade lanes, offering customers direct connections to Guayaquil, Iquique and Valparaiso, enlarged port coverage of the west coast of South America, and improved capacity.

Deploying 10 vessels with capacities ranging from 2,350 TEUs to 2,550 TEUs, the service's port rotation will be Shekou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Pusan, Manzanillo, Buenaventura, Guayaquil, Callao, Iquique, Valparaiso, San Vicente, Manzanillo, Pusan and Shekou.

'The trade from Asia to the west coast of South America has enjoyed healthy growth since the last quarter of 2009, a trend which is due to carry on pursuant to our customers' demand in this market,' said Jean-Yves Duval, vice-president for Caribbean and Latin American lines at CMA CGM. 'This new service comes in addition to the Group’s existing ACSA service, providing our customers with fast transit times and a unique port coverage thanks to the addition of 3 new calls in Guayaquil, Iquique and Valparaiso.'