The French shipping company CMA CGM is expanding its transport network between Northern Europe and West Africa. The “Kora Express” liner service is intended to speed up the supply chain to dynamic markets in the south.
According to CMA CGM, the new route is due to commence at the end of August and will then operate weekly. According to the shipping line, the “Kora Express” combines speed, reliability and global connectivity to promote trade between Northern Europe and West Africa. Ships on the route from Antwerp to the port city of Tema in Ghana are expected to take just 15 days.
The service will call at the following ports: Southampton – Vlissingen – Antwerp – Tanger Med – Algeciras – Tema – Lekki – Cotonou – Dakar. (Ports with CMA CGM Group terminals are highlighted.)
The first vessel on the new southbound route is the “Navios Verano” (3,850 TEU), which, according to CMA CGM, will set sail from Southampton on 26 August. The nominal capacity of the vessels deployed on the liner service is expected to be 4,200 TEU. Key ports of call include the hubs at Tangier Med and Algeciras, from where CMA CGM’s global network can be accessed.
The shipping line also announced that, to mark the launch of the “Kora Express”, it would be realigning the existing “Euraf 5” service. This will now focus on the southern region of West Africa and will serve Cameroon, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo and Angola directly. “Together, these services offer targeted and optimised coverage of West Africa, as well as faster, bespoke solutions for your freight,” CMA CGM stated.
The company, which recently commissioned the “CMA CGM Notre Dame” – one of the world’s largest container ships – is also investing in areas beyond liner shipping on the African continent. In October, CMA CGM signed an agreement with Marsa Maroc to jointly operate a terminal at the Moroccan port of Nador West Med. The shipping line also recently announced plans to invest around €700 million in Mombasa, Kenya – the continent’s largest port.
