Malta transshipment hub for CMA CGM's Asia to North Africa service

Malta is to be used as the transshipment hub for CMA CGM's new express service, which links main ports in Asia, including China, to North Africa.

Containers will be brought to Malta Freeport and transferred to feeder vessels heading for ports in North Africa, including Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Libya.

The first vessel on this weekly service, CMA CGM Jasmin, recently berthed at the North Quay handling around 3,300 container moves.

This represents increased capacity of around 10 per cent over the previous vessels used on this route.

The North Africa Express Service operates with seven vessels and offers highly competitive transit times such as Chiwan to Algeria in 21 days or Shanghai to Tripoli in 24 days.

The service increases Malta Freeport's worldwide network of over 110 ports worldwide, 55 of which are in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

The additional business at the Freeport comes in the midst of a heavy investment programme being undertaken by Malta Freeport Terminals in brand new equipment and in the expansion of its yard facilities.

With the increased business secured this year, Malta Freeport is heading for another record breaking year in traffic volumes handled at its facilities, the company said.