The CMA CGM Group has announced it will stop calling at Iskenderun Port with its NC Levant Express service following the recent heavy congestion in the port.
According to CMA CGM, this decision was taken to keep and maintain its schedule reliability and service integrity of NC Levant Express which is heavily impacted by the average 10 days/call congestion in Iskenderun.
CMA CGM stated that it will restore Port of Mersin direct call on NC Levant Express service and return to Iskenderun once situation improves.
READ: CMA CGM reshuffles North Europe-East Med/Levant service
In order to serve North Europe to/from Iskenderun market, CMA CGM will deploy a ‘Lebanon-Iskenderun’ shuttle service that will connect North Europe to Iskenderun and Iskenderun to North Europe cargo via trans-shipment in Beirut.
The new routing in and out of Iskenderun from and to North Europe will be the following:
- North Europe <-> Beirut leg with NC Levant service
- Beirut <-> Iskenderun leg with Shuttle service EMED1
The last NC Levant Express service vessel calling Iskenderun direct will be the MV Gsl Chateau Dif currently under operations in Iskenderun with ETD 23 August.
The first NC Levant Express service vessel calling Mersin direct structurally will be the MV Oakland arriving in Mersin on 23 August.
This month, CMA CGM announced the extension of its French Asia Line 1 (FAL) service into Poland, with a direct call to Gdansk.
Additionally, CMA CGM updated Freight All Kinds (FAK) rates from all ports in North Europe, as well as the US East Coast and Gulf Coast.
