Hormuz uncertainty prompts carriers to add new surcharges
As Strait of Hormuz transits continue to remain uncertain, container lines are implementing new surcharges ...
French container line CMA CGM has reported a series of schedule disruptions/vessel delays on its Indian networks, impacting customer expectations on service reliability.
The Medex service, covering the India-Mediterranean trade, has had a long series of blanked sailings in recent months, and the carrier has just announced the next scheduled service, due to arrive in Mumbai on 5 November, has also been cancelled.
CMA CGM (India) told customers it blamed “operational constraints” for the calls at Mundra and Nhava Sheva ports being voided by the CMA CGM Houat.
“All cargo booked on the CMA CGM Houat will be transferred to the next available vessel, CMA CGM Titus – voyage 0MXOCW1MA,” it said.
The move follows an expected, off-schedule arrival of the CMA CGM Nabucco, on the current week’s Medex, forcing the carrier to re-adjust the cargo cut-off window for shippers.
CMA CGM is also facing a port omission at Hamburg on the NEWMO service, which calls at Ennore, near Chennai, on the Indian leg. Operated jointly with MSC, it features vast port coverage across North Europe/the Mediterranean/Australia/South Asia/Indian Subcontinent.
“All cargo for Hamburg will be discharged at London Gateway and reloaded on the next NEWMO departure, APL Boston, voyage 0NNMLE1MA,” the carrier advised customers.
Other known services facing sliding schedules include the BIGEX, connecting India and the Red Sea. The regional loop has omitted Iraq’s Umm Qasr in recent weeks, with all impacted shipments being transhipped at Khalifa (Abu Dhabi).
Meanwhile, the IEX (India East Coast Express), an intra-Asia routing involving CMA CGM, KMTC, RCL Feeder, Unifeeder, X-Press Feeders and Cosco, is to omit calls at Singapore, Qingdao and Shekou on the upcoming RDO Favour voyage.
Similarly, the ast Indian sailing of the IEX2 – a regional shuttle connection – on CMA CGM Semarang is running behind schedule, updates reveal.
Additionally, CMA CGM’s flagship Indamex service, on the India-USEC trade, is also being hobbled by persistent schedule problems; its November schedule currently indicates two void calls, after suffering as many this month, sources said.
Following the Red Sea crisis, schedule reliability has been a widespread industry concern because of the longer transits around the Cape of Good Hope. But industry sources also believe carriers have also been tactically adjusting available capacity in response to the evolving demand volatility.
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