FRENCH shipping company CMA CGM is adding the Port of Charleston to its Pacific Express 3 (PEX 3) weekly service
CMA CGM adds Charleston as last call to Pacific Express (PEX3) to Asia FRENCH shipping company CMA CGM is adding the Port of Charleston to its Pacific Express 3 (PEX 3) weekly service, providing an additional connection for the region's shippers to ports across Asia.
The carrier has deployed 11 vessels of between 4,400 and 5,100 TEU on the service. The first ship, the 5,095-TEU CMA CGM Florida, is scheduled to call at the North Charleston Terminal in mid-April, a statement from the South Carolina Port Authority said.
Said CMA CGM Americas president Frank Baragona: "The new call in Charleston will be beneficial for all key stakeholders in creating new service options for our clients, generating volume for the port as well as having a positive impact on the low country economy and jobs."
Charleston is the last US port outbound on the service, highlighting its role for exports to growing consumer markets in Asia.
"The addition of the PEX 3 further shows Charleston's growth in the Asia trade lane," said SCPA vice president John Wheeler. "Many of the Port of Charleston's users ship high-value cargo year-round with little seasonality, and export loads are plentiful. Both of these points are very attractive to carriers when selecting a port."
Ports in the service rotation include Hong Kong, Shenzhen-Chiwan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Busan and Punta Manzanillo in Panama.