Brittany Ferries's partnership with container giant CMA CGM was finalised in 2021 to support the French ferry company's post-Covid recovery.
It promises complementary English Channel freight transport links, thanks to a ‘fast lane’ solution bringing shorter transit times and increased frequency.
CMA CGM continues to implement agile transport solutions for its customers in a global context of pressurised supply chains
The partnership signed in September, between French ferry firm Brittany Ferries and global shipping and logistics group CMA CGM reached a new milestone on Tuesday, with the first cross-Channel shipment of CMA CGM containers.
Containers were lifted onto special chassis and loaded aboard Brittany Ferries’ Cotentin in the port of Le Havre (where Afloat adds cruiseferry Cap Finistere is berthed: see story). The freight vessel had departed Le Havre for Portsmouth at 16:30 French time.
The first driverless CMA CGM load to be carried by Brittany Ferries across the Channel further strengthens links between the two companies. Thanks to the partnership, conventional articulated lorry loads have already been carried on Brittany Ferries’ Portsmouth – Caen route.
However, CMA CGM Group can now offer its customers a ‘fast lane’ solution for containers, with shorter transit times. There are more available sailings too; four services every week connect Le Havre with Portsmouth.
An ambitious commercial partnership serving both groups’ customers
The partnership creates significant opportunities for passenger and freight shipping, thanks to the respective expertise of CMA CGM Group and Brittany Ferries.
It will permit growth in cross-Channel shipping, cementing France’s position in the sector. It will also allow CMA CGM to strengthen its transportation service between France, the Iberian Peninsula and the British Isles, and will allow Brittany Ferries to further develop its freight and logistics expertise.
Christophe Mathieu, CEO Brittany Ferries said: “This is an important moment in our partnership with one of the world’s biggest shipping and logistics companies. We know that we must adapt to market trends and customer demand in order to prove our strength in a competitive market. This is therefore a welcome milestone and highlights the mutual benefits of working together.”
Mathieu Girardin, CMA CGM’s central director for short sea routes added: “This first shipment demonstrates the dynamism of our commercial partnership with Brittany Ferries, and is a major step as we build our multimodal service linking France, the UK, Ireland and Spain. CMA CGM Group continues to implement innovative and agile solutions to meet the needs of its customers.”
