CMA CGM, Hapag Lloyd and Hamburg S'd announced the launch of a new direct service on the route between the East Coast of South America and North Europe. As of August 6th 2009, the lines provide a joint weekly service of two loops, replacing their respective SAFRAN / SAEC services and featuring three major changes:
  • A rationalization of their capacity on this trade to better match the market evolution.
  • An improved frequency with more vessels deployed as well as more competitive transit times.
  • An enlarged and attractive port coverage with the introduction of two new port calls at Salvador de Bahia and Suape.

Vessels will run at eco-speed in order to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

The rotation will be as follows:

  • Sling 1 : Rotterdam ' Tilbury ' Hamburg ' Antwerp ' Le Havre ' Santos ' Buenos Aires ' Montevideo ' Rio Grande ' Santos ' Suape ' Rotterdam
  • Sling 2 : Rotterdam ' Hamburg ' Antwerp ' Le Havre ' Sepetiba ' Navegantes ' Paranagua ' Santos ' Sepetiba/Rio de Janeiro ' Salvador ' Tangier ' Rotterdam

Sling 1 will deploy six vessels of 5,900 TEU capacity (operated by Hamburg S'd) and Sling 2 will deploy six vessels of 2,800 TEU (four operated by CMA CGM and its partner, two by Hapag-Lloyd).

'By undertaking this rationalization, CMA CGM and its partners are committed to keep delivering the best service along with an adapted capacity while improving cost and air emissions efficiency thanks to the eco-speed policy,' explains Jean-Yves Duval, Deputy Vice-President Latin America Lines, CMA CGM Group.

The first sailings were performed by Hamburg Sud Rio Negro, calling Rotterdam for Sling 1 and CMA CGM Violet calling Rotterdam for Sling 2.