Next September TTI Algeciras will become port of call for the weekly service FAL1 / AEU2 operated by CMA CGM, which will connect Algeciras on its return to Asia with ports in China, South Korea, Malaysia and Singapore.
The FAL1 / AEU2 service operates in the semi-automatic terminal since June 4, 2015 and at that time the service deployed vessels of 17,722 TEU. Thus far, the terminal only operates the import call or West Bound. But as from September 9, Algeciras will be included in the export leg too (East Bound).
This change in the rotation of the Ocean Alliance’s flagship service embraces two very significant milestones for the Port of Algeciras. On the one hand, it is expected that nine 22,000 TEU class vessels powered by LNG will be incorporated into this service as from 2020. They will thus become the largest ships that have ever operated in a Mediterranean port and TTI Algeciras will operate two mega-ships per week instead of the current one.
On the other hand, the number of ports of call for this service will be reduced from the usual 15 to 12, which confirms once again that mega-ships will increasingly tend to call in fewer ports around the world. The Port of Algeciras is and will be one of these first-class ports for shipping lines.
The new service rotation will start from next 18th of July in Tianjin and will include the following ports: Tianjin Xingang – Busan – Ningbo – Shanghai – Yantian – Singapore – Algeciras (WB) – Southampton – Hamburg – Rotterdam – Southampton – Algeciras (EB) – Port Kelang – Xiamen – Tianjin Xingang.
The current transit times of this service between the Chinese ports of Shanghai and Ningbo and Algeciras are 26 and 27 days respectively (imports). As of September, the export goods loaded in Algeciras on board of this service will arrive Ningbo in 36 days and Shanghai in 37 days.
