Transport and logistics firms Cosiarma, Zim and Cosmed have responded to the liquidation of Israeli exporter Agrexco - and the subsequent drop-off in supplies of the company's Carmel-branded fresh produce to western Europe – by signing a new joint agreement to operate a liner service in the Mediterranean.
Cosiarma, a subsidiary of Italian fresh produce giant GF Group, has chartered the two sister reefer ships previously employed by Agrexco in the service between Israel and the western Mediterranean.
The ships will be renamed Cala Pira and Cala Paradiso, in line with the Cosiarma's traditional choice of names for its fleets.
According to a statement issued by the companies, each ship has a service speed of 21 knots and is able to carry around 4,100 pallets of fruit and vegetables in the hold, as well as 630 TEUs on deck and 144 reefer plugs.
Furthermore, Cosiarma has signed a slot charter agreement with Zim and Cosmed, companies which already serve the same trade.
The ships will be jointly employed in a regular liner service, with weekly, fixed-day sailings and the following itinerary: Haifa, Ashdod, Sète, Genoa, Naples, Haifa.
'The new service will offer excellent transit times, large allocation of reefer space in holds and containers and more reefer plugs, which will support and assist the customers with their logistics needs,' said a spokesperson for the group.
The service is expected to start on 10 October (week 41).
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