FRENCH shipping group CMA CGM says it is upgrading its services linking Asia to India and the Middle East Gulf with the introduction of a new, complementary string to its CIMEX service,starting from the end of March 2008.

As a result, the shipping line is splitting into two strings the CIMEX service coverage from Asia.
String 1 will be dedicated to serving the markets of the Gulf States,Iran and Iraq,whereas string 2 will be dedicated to Colombo and the west coast of India supplemented with a call in the Gulf.

The port rotation for this twice-weekly service will be as follows:String 1:Ningbo,Shanghai,Fuqing/Fuzhou,Chiwan,port Kelang,Jebel Ali,Khor-fakkan,Bandar Abbas , Por Kelang.
For String 2:Xiamen,Shantou,Chiwan,Laem Chebang,Port Kelang,Colombo,Nhava Sheva,Jebei Ali,Port Kelang.

The service will open up the market of Shantou by intrducing a direct call and linking it to the CMACGM group liner network.Eacj string will be serviced by five vessels with an average capacity of 2,500TEU and in cooperation with CMA CGM affiliates,ANL and CNC,a company statement said.

“The trade from Asia to the Middle East has enjoyed a healthy growth that is likely to continue.Our customers have been requesting us to keep pace with their growth..The Asia to India trade, linking the two economies with the highest populations,has been growing stesdily and is expected to increase in pace rapidly, following the expanding economic ties and increase in spendable income in India,” said Farid Salem,CMA CGM group chief executive vice-president.