Shipper CMA CGM has upgraded its fleet serving the French West Indies with two new calls at Zeebrugge and Rotterdam.

In addition to the new Belgian and Dutch port calls, the PCRF line’s capacity linking Europe to the French West Indies will be increased by replacing the current 2,200 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) capacity vessels with 2,800 TEU capacity vessels.

CMA CGM West Indies and Guyana Lines central president Guillaume Lathelize says the move supports regional growth of both the French Indies market and promotes intra-Caribbean trade developments.

"CMA CGM is a historical actor within the West Indies shipping industry. The Group has constantly developed dedicated services to this area; the PCFR line is a key example, serving the French West Indies from Northern Europe," he says.

"Increasing vessels’ size on this line will not only support regional growth, but will also develop our transshipment activity in Pointe-a-Pitre and Fort-de-France, two of the Group’s hubs serving surrounding markets such as the lesser Antilles and Northern Latin America.

"New calls in Zeebrugge and Rotterdam will offer new export and import solutions for the domestic market as well as transshipment."

www.freshfruitportal.com